D13 Chord on Guitar
D13 = D – F# – A – C – E – B (Root, Major 3rd, Perfect 5th, Minor 7th, Major 9th, Major 13th)
D13 is the dominant family's fullest extension, theoretically climbing all the way through the thirteenth degree, but no six-string chord voices every one of those tones at once. Fingered at the tenth fret, this shape keeps root, third, flat seventh, and thirteenth — the same practical compromise every guitarist relying on 13th chords makes regardless of root.
The formula runs D, F#, A, C, E, B, but the ninth and eleventh drop out of the actual voicing, leaving four notes to do the real work: root and third establish the major-dominant identity, the flat seventh supplies pull toward resolution, and the thirteenth — really a major sixth voiced an octave higher — adds the rich, jazz-club color on top. It's a noticeably more sophisticated sound than a plain D7, the kind of chord that shows up right before a cadence in polished jazz comping rather than a simple blues turnaround.
Fingerings
Barre (10th fret)
How to Practice It
The thirteenth sits an octave above where a plain sixth would land on a simpler chord, so getting that top note to ring cleanly matters more than any other single note here — a muted or buzzed top string quietly turns this rich chord back into a plain dominant seventh without an obvious reason why the sound feels flatter. Practicing the shift from a bare D7 into this fuller D13 shape and back isolates exactly which finger carries that top color.
Common Progressions
- Em7 – A7 – D13 (ii7 – V7 – I13, a jazz turnaround landing on a rich tonic)
- D13 – G (V13 – I, the fullest possible dominant pull)
- D13 – D7 – G6 (moving from rich color down to a simpler resolution)
- A13 – D13 – G13 (a progression stacking 13th chords throughout)
FAQ
- Does the D13 voicing actually include all six notes of its theoretical formula?
- No — the full stack runs through the ninth and eleventh as well, but a practical guitar voicing keeps only root, third, flat seventh, and thirteenth.
- What does the thirteenth contribute to the sound?
- It's the same pitch class as a major sixth, just voiced an octave higher, and it's the note most responsible for the chord's rich, sophisticated color.
- Why isn't the ninth part of this voicing?
- With only six strings and four notes already prioritized, the ninth is the extension least essential to the chord's core dominant identity, so it's left out in practice.
- Is D13 noticeably harder to play than D9?
- The coordination is comparable, though the top note here carries more weight in defining the chord's color than any single note in the D9 shape does.
- Where does D13 typically show up in a chart?
- Almost always right before a resolution to G, functioning as an especially rich-sounding dominant that jazz writing often substitutes for a plain seventh at cadence points.
- Can a 13th chord substitute for a plain dominant seventh elsewhere?
- In most jazz contexts, yes — the added color decorates the chord without altering its underlying dominant function.
- Is D13 worth learning before simpler extended chords like D9?
- Probably not first — D9 uses a leaner, easier-to-place voicing and shows up far more often outside jazz, so it's the more practical starting point before tackling D13's extra top-note precision.
Related: how chords are built, chord finder.