Scale degrees · A♭ major

The 11 of A♭ is D♭

The 11 (eleven) of A♭ (A flat, Ab) is D♭ (D flat): a perfect eleventh above the root.

A♭ — the root, 1D♭ — the 11

How to find it

An 11th is a 4th an octave up, so it takes the 4th's letter: A, B, C, D.

Then the sound: a perfect eleventh is 17 semitones above A♭, and the D that is 17 semitones up is D♭.

That is why it is D♭ and not C♯: C♯ is the same key on the piano, but from A♭ it would be a 10th, not an 11th.

Where you meet it

The 11 is the 4 an octave up. It sits naturally on minor chords; on a major chord it clashes with the 3rd, which is why the ♯11 exists.

In A♭m11:

A♭ · C♭ · E♭ · G♭ · B♭ · D♭

The 11 in every key

KeyThe 11
CF
GC
DG
AD
EA
BE
F♯B
D♭G♭
A♭D♭
E♭A♭
B♭E♭
FB♭

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