B♭ Dominant 13th
B♭13
Notes
B♭ · D · F · A♭ · C · G
Intervals
- RootB♭ (1P)
- Major 3rdD (3M)
- Perfect 5thF (5P)
- Minor 7thA♭ (7m)
- Major 9thC (9M)
- Major 13thG (13M)
Fretboard
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About
The B♭13 dominant thirteenth (B♭–D–F–A♭–C–G) is the fullest expression of dominant harmony. The G (a major sixth above the root) adds warmth and sophistication while the chord’s dominant function — driven by the tritone between 3 and ♭7 — remains intact, still pulling toward E♭. On guitar, full voicings are impractical; the essential tones are the 3rd, ♭7, and 13th. The 5th, 9th, and sometimes even the root can all be omitted in favor of these three. Common in jazz and funk comping. Compared to B♭9, the 13 adds a richer, more colorful top end without altering the harmonic direction.
Similar chords
Chords sharing two or more notes with this one, ranked by overlap.
Scales containing this chord
- B♭ Mixolydian (I)
- A♭ Lydian (II)
- C Natural Minor (VII)
- D Locrian (VI)
- E♭ Major (V)
- F Dorian (IV)
- F Melodic Minor (IV)
- G Phrygian (III)
Scales whose notes include every chord tone. The Roman numeral (or scale degree) marks the chord root’s position in the scale.