E♭ thirteenth (E♭13) chord on banjo

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

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What the E♭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 E♭13 chord

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

How to play it – with fingering

Basic shape, barre at fret 8

String 1 (D): fret 11, little finger (D♭5)
String 2 (B): fret 8, index finger (G4)
String 3 (G): fret 8, index finger (E♭4)
String 4 (D): fret 10, ring finger (C4)

For the barre, lay your index finger flat across all the marked strings at fret 8; your other fingers press the higher frets.

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

A♭ major: V13 (dominant)
F minor: VII13

Similar chords and substitutes

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

Substitutes (by function)

A7 – tritone substitute: the same third and seventh, swapped – a jazz favourite
Gdim7 – diminished seventh on the third: a common stand-in for the dominant
E♭7 – a simpler dominant
E♭7sus4 – suspended dominant, less tense
A♭ – where it resolves (V → I)

Simpler versions

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

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the E♭13 chord?

E♭, G, B♭, D♭, F, C. The root is E♭; 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 E♭13 on banjo?

The easiest shape above is “Basic shape”. We show 1 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 E♭13 shapes?

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

How is the E♭13 chord written?

The chord symbol is E♭13 (also written Eb13), and its full name is E♭ thirteenth.