13th Chords on Guitar: Extended Harmony Beyond the 9th
Learn how to play 13th chords on guitar. Understand the theory, discover playable voicings for dominant 13th and major 13th, and find out how to use them in jazz, blues, and neo-soul.
Popular fretboard positions with fingering suggestions
Showing 8 of 229 playable shapes
The A dominant 7th dominant 7th chord, formed by adding a minor seventh G to the major triad, creates tension that seeks resolution, typically to the tonic. The combination of the major third C♯ and minor seventh G provides a bluesy, soulful feel, making it essential in jazz, blues, and classical cadences.
Each note below shows how the chord is built from its root. This is the theory layer underneath the fretboard shapes.
The root anchors the chord and defines its tonal center.
This note defines the chord's major quality and brings brightness to the sound.
The fifth reinforces stability and gives the chord its strong harmonic frame.
The minor seventh adds bluesy or jazzy tension that wants to move onward.
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