D thirteenth (D13) chord on piano

The D thirteenth chord (D13) is a thirteenth chord (a dominant ninth plus a major thirteenth), made of six notes: D – F♯ – A – C – E – B.

Full chord: D4 – F♯4 – A4 – C5 – E5 – B5

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What the D13 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 D13 chord

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

D4 – F♯4 – A4 – C5 – E5 – B5

Two-hand voicing

D3 – F♯4 – C5 – E5 – B5

Which keys is it in?

The D13 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

G major: V13 (dominant)
E minor: VII13

Similar chords and substitutes

If D13 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

A♭7 – tritone substitute: the same third and seventh, swapped – a jazz favourite
F♯dim7 – diminished seventh on the third: a common stand-in for the dominant
D7 – a simpler dominant
D7sus4 – suspended dominant, less tense
G – where it resolves (V → I)

Simpler versions

D9 – all 5 of its notes are in this chord
D7 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
D6 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord
Dadd9 – all 4 of its notes are in this chord

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the D13 chord?

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

How do I play the D13 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 D13 chord written?

The chord symbol is D13, and its full name is D thirteenth.