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Expanding your Chord Knowledge Pt.7: 13th Chords

Robert Mussatti 91 lessons

In the final installment of this tutorial, we are going to be looking at the different versions of the 13th chord, so fasten your seat belts.

A full 13th chord has 7 notes in it: (1-3-5-b7-9-11-13). Intervalically, this full chord can be seen as: (Root, Major 3rd, Perfect 5th, Minor 7th, Major 9th, Perfect 11th and Major 13th) When we play this on the guitar, to be able to have an easier time playing these, the 5th and the 11th are usually left out. The root or the 9th may also be left out. The 3rd and 7th are never left out because the 3rd is needed to determine the quality of the chord and the 7th is there to make the chord dominant.

The first 13th chord we are going to learn starts with the Root on the low E string, the minor 7th on the D string, the 3rd on the G string, the 13th on the B string and the 9th on the high E string.

This next 13th chord is built with the Root on the A string, the 3rd on the D string, the 7th on the G string, the 9th on the B string and the 13th on the high E string.

This 13th chord is built with the root on the low E string, the Minor 7th on the D string, the 3rd on the G string and the flat 13th on the B string.

This next 13th chord is built the same way as the one constructed above, except we add in the flat 9th on the high E string.

The other form of the above chord is built with the Root on the A string, the 3rd on the D string, the flat 7th on the G string, the flat 9th on the B string and the flat 13th on the high E string.

This next 13th chord is built with the Root on the low E string, the minor 7th on the D string, the 3rd on the G string, the 13th on the B string and the flat 9th on the high E string.

The other form of this chord is built with the root on the A string, the 3rd on the D string, the flat 7th on the G string, the flat 9th on the B string and the 13th on the high E string.

The next 13th chord is built with the root on the low E string, the minor 7th on the D string, the 3rd on the G string, the 13th on the B string and the sharp 9th on the high E string.

The other form of this chord is built with the root on the A string, the 3rd on the D string, the minor 7th on the G string, the sharp 9th on the B string and the 13th on the high E string.

The next 13th chord is built with the Root on the low E string, the minor 7th on the D string, the 3rd on the G string, the flat 13th on the B string and the sharp 9th on the high E string.

The other form of this chord is built with the Root on the A string, the 3rd on the D string, the minor 7th on the G string, the sharp 9th on the B string and the flat 13th on the high E string.

Well folks, that concludes this tutorial. I hope you've enjoyed yourselves and have learned a few things along the way. See you later!

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