B♭ thirteenth (B♭13) chord on banjo

Thirteenth chord (a dominant ninth plus a major thirteenth) on B♭: the notes of the B♭13 chord are B♭ – D – F – A♭ – C – G. The same chord with a different spelling: A♯ thirteenth (A♯13).

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Basic shapemedium

Position 6medium

Position 8easy

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What the B♭13 chord sounds like

A thirteenth chord is a dominant seventh with an added major thirteenth (the sixth an octave up). On an instrument the fifth and often the ninth are dropped, and the eleventh is left out. A classic jazz and blues dominant.

Notes of the B♭13 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	B♭	root
3	D	major third (4 semitones)
5	F	perfect fifth (7 semitones) – often omitted on fretted instruments
7	A♭	minor seventh (10 semitones)
9	C	major second (2 semitones) – often omitted on fretted instruments
13	G	major sixth (9 semitones)

How to play it – with fingering

Basic shape, barre at fret 3

String 1 (D): fret 6, little finger (A♭4)
String 2 (B): fret 3, index finger (D4)
String 3 (G): fret 3, index finger (B♭3)
String 4 (D): fret 5, ring finger (G3)

For the barre, lay your index finger flat across all the marked strings at fret 3; your other fingers press the higher frets.

Position 6

String 1 (D): fret 6, index finger (A♭4)
String 2 (B): fret 8, little finger (G4)
String 3 (G): fret 7, middle finger (D4)
String 4 (D): fret 8, ring finger (B♭3)

Position 8

String 1 (D): fret 8, index finger (B♭4)
String 2 (B): fret 9, middle finger (A♭4)
String 3 (G): open (G3)
String 4 (D): open (D3)

Five-string banjo in open G tuning (g D G B D). The diagram shows the four long strings; the short 5th string (g) rings open – avoid it when G is not in the chord. In the diagram, × means the string is not played, and a circle means an open string.

Which keys is it in?

The B♭13 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

E♭ major: V13 (dominant)
C minor: VII13

Similar chords and substitutes

If B♭13 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

E7 – tritone substitute: the same third and seventh, swapped – a jazz favourite
Ddim7 – diminished seventh on the third: a common stand-in for the dominant
B♭7 – a simpler dominant
B♭7sus4 – suspended dominant, less tense
E♭ – where it resolves (V → I)

Simpler versions

B♭9 – all 5 of its notes are in this chord
B♭7 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
B♭6 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
B♭add9 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the B♭13 chord?

B♭, D, F, A♭, C, G. The root is B♭; the intervals of the other notes from the root: major third, perfect fifth, minor seventh, major second, major sixth.

What is the easiest way to play B♭13 on banjo?

The easiest shape above is “Position 8”, rated easy. We show 3 shapes, from open and easy versions to movable barre shapes higher up the neck.

How do I read the chord diagram?

Strings run from the lowest (left) to the highest (right) – tick “Left-handed” to mirror it. Rows are frets; a number at the side shows the starting fret. Dots are fingers (1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little), a long bar is a barre, × means don't play that string and ○ means play it open.

Why is a note missing from some B♭13 shapes?

On a fretted instrument you can't always play every note of a 6-note chord. The fifth (F) and ninth (C) may be dropped – the chord keeps its character without them.

Why do some songbooks write H instead of B?

In German and Central European notation, H is the note B, and B is the note B♭. So a “B” chord in a German or Hungarian songbook is B♭ in English notation, and an “H” chord is B. Always check which notation your chord chart uses.