E♯13 Chord: Guitar, Piano and Notes
The E♯13 chord is a dominant thirteenth chord built on the root note E♯. Its notes are E♯, G𝄪, D♯, F𝄪 and C𝄪. It's enharmonically the same chord as F13.
Dominant thirteenth chords are the fullest dominant sound in common use, a dominant seventh with a ninth and a thirteenth piled on top. The major sixth on top, sounding an octave up as the thirteenth, gives the chord a bright, open lid.
- Notes
- E♯ · G𝄪 · D♯ · F𝄪 · C𝄪
- Formula
- 1 · 3 · ♭7 · 9 · 13
- Semitones
- 0 · 4 · 10 · 14 · 21
- Note
- E♯
- Quality
- Dominant 13
- Symbol
- E♯13
E♯13 on piano
5 notes
Switch to the interactive diagram to hear the chord, change voicing and swap finger numbers for note names.
To play E♯13 on piano, place your right hand with your thumb on E♯, index finger on G𝄪, middle finger on C𝄪, ring finger on D♯ and little finger on F𝄪. Press the keys together and listen for an even sound. On the keyboard D♯ is a black key and E♯, G𝄪, F𝄪 and C𝄪 are white, the keys you'd normally call F, A, G and D. Practice moving in and out of the chord slowly, then bring in a metronome.
- E♯1
- G𝄪3
- C𝄪13
- D♯♭7
- F𝄪9
E♯13 on guitar
Switch to the interactive diagram to hear the chord, change voicing and swap finger numbers for note names.
On guitar, E♯13 is commonly played with the voicing shown above. The fretted notes sit between frets 1 and 4. Strings 5, 4 and 3 ring open.
E♯ · G𝄪 · D♯ · F𝄪 · C𝄪
Try E♯13 on the virtual piano
Free, in your browser: play with the mouse, your computer keyboard or a USB MIDI keyboard. No sign-up.
E♯13 chord notes
Also known as F13
| Degree | Interval | Semitones | Note | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Root | 0 | E♯(E#) | |
| 3 | Major third | 4 | G𝄪(G##) | |
| ♭7 | Minor seventh | 10 | D♯(D#) | |
| 9 | Major ninth | 14 | F𝄪(F##) | |
| 13 | Major thirteenth | 21 | C𝄪(C##) |
How to use the E♯13 chord
The E♯13 chord is built from a root, a major third, a minor seventh, a major ninth and a major thirteenth. Start at the root E♯ and stack the intervals to get the whole chord: E♯, G𝄪, D♯, F𝄪 and C𝄪. The same formula gives you the chord in any other key.
Dominant thirteenth chords are the default rich dominant in jazz, gospel and R&B horn and keyboard voicings, usually the V7 resolving to a major or minor tonic. Big band charts lean on them wherever a plain dominant seventh would sound thin.
How E♯13 differs from similar chords
E♯13 tops the dominant family, with a thirteenth over E♯7 and E♯9. The thirteenth is the sixth an octave higher, and that is the line between it and E♯6: E♯13 also has the minor seventh, so it keeps the dominant pull. The fifth and the eleventh are left out so the voicing doesn't get muddy.
Where E♯13 is used
No progression is shown for this spelling
Every key E♯13 would have a function in has a tonic that needs a double accidental, which is not a key this library teaches. The enharmonic spelling carries the same chord in a key that exists.
Questions people ask
- What notes are in the E♯13 chord?
- The E♯13 chord contains E♯, G𝄪, D♯, F𝄪 and C𝄪 (E#, G##, D#, F## and C## in plain text).
- Is the E♯13 chord major or minor?
- E♯13 is a dominant thirteenth chord. Dominant thirteenth chords are the fullest dominant sound in common use, a dominant seventh with a ninth and a thirteenth piled on top. The major sixth on top, sounding an octave up as the thirteenth, gives the chord a bright, open lid.
- How do you play E♯13 on piano?
- Place your fingers on E♯, G𝄪, D♯, F𝄪 and C𝄪 and play them together. The root usually goes to the little finger of the left hand, the upper notes to the right. On the keyboard D♯ is a black key and E♯, G𝄪, F𝄪 and C𝄪 are white, the keys you'd normally call F, A, G and D.
- How do you play E♯13 on guitar?
- Use the fingering in the diagram above. The fretted notes sit between frets 1 and 4. Strings 5, 4 and 3 ring open.
- What is another name for the E♯13 chord?
- E♯13 is enharmonically equivalent to F13. Both chord names describe exactly the same notes, but the spelling depends on the key you are playing in.