B13 Chord on Guitar
B13 = B – D# – F# – A – C# – G# (Root, Major 3rd, Perfect 5th, Minor 7th, Major 9th, Major 13th)
B13 is the largest extended dominant chord in this family, theoretically stacking a thirteenth on top of a full dominant ninth, but the guitar shape at the seventh-fret barre keeps things practical by dropping the ninth and eleventh entirely. What's left resembles B7 with the sixth string's sixth added on top.
Full theory gives B, D#, F#, A, C#, G# for B13, but the working voicing leans on root, third, flat seventh, and thirteenth (G#) — the same top note that makes B6 recognizable. That's not a coincidence: a dominant 13th chord is essentially a dominant seventh with a sixth-like note added above it, which is why the two shapes are so closely related on the fretboard. As V13 it resolves to E major with the same pull as B7, just dressed in a richer, jazz-inflected color common in swing and bossa-influenced guitar parts.
Fingerings
Barre (7th fret)
How to Practice It
Compare this shape directly to B6, since the two voicings share a top note and much of their finger placement — the difference is mainly which string carries the flat seventh instead of a plain triad tone. Practicing the transition from B13 into E major slowly helps train the ear to hear that top G# resolving.
Common Progressions
- B13 – E (V13 – I, a jazz-colored dominant resolution)
- Amaj7 – B13 – Emaj7 (a ii-less turnaround using extended chords)
- C#m7 – B13 – E (a jazzier ii – V13 – I feel)
- E – B13 – E (I – V13 – I as a static vamp with color)
FAQ
- Why does the guitar voicing of B13 skip the ninth and eleventh?
- Fitting root, third, seventh, ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth across six strings isn't playable, so guitarists keep the notes that most strongly define the chord's character — root, third, seventh, and thirteenth — and let the rest go.
- How is B13 related to B6?
- Both put the sixth/thirteenth on top of the chord and share much of their fingering; B13 keeps the flat seventh in place of one of B6's triad tones, giving it a dominant rather than plain major color.
- What key does B13 resolve to?
- E major, the same target as B7 or B9, since B13 is still fundamentally a dominant seventh chord with extra top-end color layered on.
- Is B13 mostly a jazz chord?
- It's most at home there, though it does turn up occasionally in more sophisticated pop and R&B writing built around bright keys.
- Why is B13 sometimes confused with B6 on a chart?
- Because both voicings put G# on top and share most of the shape; the flat seventh (A) buried in the middle is the note that actually tells them apart.
- Does B13 need a preceding ii chord to sound right?
- Not strictly, but pairing it after a ii chord like C#m7 gives it the classic ii-V jazz cadence feel the color is often written to support.
- How difficult is B13 compared to a plain B barre chord?
- It asks for one or two extra fretted notes beyond the basic barre, a reasonable next step once the plain seventh-fret B barre is solid.
- Would a capo simplify B13 at all?
- Not really — the chord's character depends on stacking a sixth-like note over a dominant seventh, something a capo doesn't make easier, so the seventh-fret barre stays the most practical option.
- Is there a leaner version of B13 that drops the third?
- Yes, some players simplify further to just root, seventh, and thirteenth, trading a bit of harmonic completeness for an easier stretch.
- Should the thirteenth be emphasized when strumming B13?
- No — letting the whole barre ring evenly is enough for the layered dominant color to come through without picking any single note out.
- Why does a thirteenth chord represent the practical top of extended harmony?
- Stacking any further would just double the root an octave up, so thirteen is effectively as far as tertian, third-based chord-building can go before the notes start repeating themselves.
- Are thirteenth chords associated with any particular instrument more than others?
- They're most idiomatic on piano and in horn arrangements, where every stacked tone can actually be voiced at once; guitar's reduced version is a practical compromise that still gestures at the same harmonic richness.
Related: how chords are built, chord finder.