Chord & FretC13 — dominant thirteenth
Notes in C13: C – E – G – Bb – D – AFormula: 1 – 3 – 5 – b7 – 9 – 13In the formula, the numbers count steps of the major scale starting from the note that names the chord; "b" lowers a half step, "#" raises one — and a slash names the bass note.
The 13 is the full extended dominant. In practice, the third and seventh define the function while the thirteenth gives the color — the root and fifth can be omitted.
The same chord on all four instruments
Where to use it: An elegant dominant in jazz, MPB and gospel.
The shapes of C13 don't end on this page — the whole neck holds dozens. In Chord & Fret, you check it note by note, playing any shape as an arpeggio; compare positions with their difficulty marked; and set a capo — the diagrams redraw above it. Start free. Unlock everything with Pro. Plays offline.
See the whole neck in Chord & Fret →Part of the Extended family.