Db13: guitar chord voicings, inversions, scales and arpeggios

Db13 (13) is an interactive GuitarArcanum page with chord formula, intervals, voicings, inversions, triads, pentatonic patterns, scales and arpeggios on the fretboard.

Chord formula

Interval formula: 1 3 5 b7 9 11 13. A dominant with the 13th. The fullest dominant sound; the 11th is almost always dropped and you play 3, b7, 9 and 13.

Chord tones

The key notes are the 3rd–b7 tritone plus the 13th on top. The 11th clashes with the 3rd, so it's dropped, along with the 5th and often the root.

Sound character

Full, rich, a grown-up dominant — the backbone of jazz and soul comping.

Harmonic function

A dominant. It resolves up a fourth; the 13th is an upper color and doesn't change the pull.

Typical progressions

  • Ebm9 – Ab13 – Dbmaj7
  • Ab13 → C
  • Db13 (blues/funk vamp)

Guitar voicing advice

A practical shape has the root on the 6th string with 3, b7 and 13 on top (no 5th or 11th). The 13th sits nicely on the 2nd string.

Compatible scales for Db13

Other chord qualities on the Db root

Compare this chord with other qualities sharing the same root.