C♯ thirteenth (C♯13) chord on piano

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

Full chord: C♯4 – E♯4 – G♯4 – B4 – D♯5 – A♯5

Chord finder Transposer

What the C♯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 C♯13 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	C♯	root
3	E♯	major third (4 semitones)
5	G♯	perfect fifth (7 semitones)
7	B	minor seventh (10 semitones)
9	D♯	major second (2 semitones)
13	A♯	major sixth (9 semitones)

Piano voicings

Chords with five or more notes are rarely played in one hand: the left hand takes the root, the right hand the colour notes. The fifth (and in an eleventh chord the third) is often left out.

Full chord

C♯4 – E♯4 – G♯4 – B4 – D♯5 – A♯5

Two-hand voicing

C♯3 – E♯4 – B4 – D♯5 – A♯5

Which keys is it in?

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

F♯ major: V13 (dominant)
D♯ minor: VII13

Similar chords and substitutes

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

Substitutes (by function)

G7 – tritone substitute: the same third and seventh, swapped – a jazz favourite
Fdim7 – diminished seventh on the third: a common stand-in for the dominant
C♯7 – a simpler dominant
C♯7sus4 – suspended dominant, less tense
F♯ – where it resolves (V → I)

Simpler versions

C♯9 – all 5 of its notes are in this chord
C♯7 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
C♯6 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
C♯add9 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the C♯13 chord?

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

How do I play the C♯13 chord on piano?

Play the root with your left hand and the colour notes (third, seventh, ninth, thirteenth) with your right hand – the two-hand voicing above. Stacking all 6 notes in one hand is possible but sounds crowded.

How is the C♯13 chord written?

The chord symbol is C♯13 (also written C#13), and its full name is C♯ thirteenth.