Chord · C Dominant 13th
C13 Chord
C13 is C, E, G, Bb, D and A — big; jazz V chord at full extension.
C13 on every instrument
The same 6 notes, 2 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.
What C13 is made of
C13 (C thirteenth) is built from the notes C, E, G, Bb, D, A, with the interval pattern 1, 3, 5, b7, 9, 13.
Stack 1, 3, 5, b7, 9 and 13 on a root of C and you get C, E, G, Bb, D and A. That interval recipe is what makes the chord a thirteenth chord — move the same shape to another root and the character travels with it, which is why D13 sounds like a transposed C13.
Dominant 13th: Big; jazz V chord at full extension.
Spelling: the notes above are written the way a score would write them, not simplified to the nearest piano key. That is why this chord is spelled with B♭ rather than its enharmonic equivalent.
Keys that contain C13
All 6 notes sit inside the scale of 2 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.
Major keys
Minor keys
Other chords on C
Same root, different colour.
The same thirteenth shape, moved
The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.
Questions people ask about C13
- What notes are in the C13 chord?
- C13 is made of C, E, G, Bb, D and A — the 1, 3, 5, b7, 9 and 13 degrees of a thirteenth chord built on C.
- What keys use the C13 chord?
- Every note of C13 belongs to 2 keys: F Major (V), D Minor (VII). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
- How do you play C13 on guitar and piano?
- This page shows C13 on guitar and piano — 3 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
Learn the theory behind it
Why C13 behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.