Chord Shapes

Minor Major 11th

Intervals: 1-b3-5-7-9-11. Adds a suspended 11th to the mMaj9 palette, producing an especially dusky, floating version of the melodic-minor tonic sound. The 11th sits a whole step above the minor 3rd, so it does not clash as harshly as an 11 on a major chord, but combined with the major 7th it creates a complex web of tensions. This chord suits slow-moving ballads, film cues and impressionistic jazz writing where the harmony can hang in the air for several beats while inner voices move. Think of it as the most extended form of a minor-major tonic before the texture becomes overly dense.