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C♯ Dominant 13th

Dominant 13th · C♯ – E♯ – G♯ – B – D♯ – F♯ – A♯ · intervals P1-M3-P5-m7-M9-P11-M13

The C♯ Dominant 13th chord (C♯13) contains the notes C♯, E♯, G♯, B, D♯, F♯, and A♯. Its interval formula is R-M3-P5-m7-M9-P11-M13. A dominant 11th plus the 13th — the fullest dominant voicing, the sound of post-bop jazz comping.

D♭ Dominant 13th
This is the same chord as D♭ Dominant 13th — the same keys on the keyboard, spelled with flats.

At the keyboard

C# · E# · G# · B · D# · F# · A#
Flashcards · Chord
Three questions on C♯ Dominant 13th
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C♯13

The C♯ Dominant 13th chord is a seven-note chord made up of C♯, E♯, G♯, B, D♯, F♯, and A♯. It is built from a root, major third, perfect fifth, minor seventh, major ninth, perfect eleventh, and major thirteenth.

Construction

C♯ Dominant 13th = Root + Major 3rd + Perfect 5th + Minor 7th + Major 2nd + Perfect 4th + Major 6th = C♯ · E♯ · G♯ · B · D♯ · F♯ · A♯
NoteIntervalDegree
C♯Root1
E♯Major 3rd3
G♯Perfect 5th5
BMinor 7th♭7
D♯Major 2nd9
F♯Perfect 4th11
A♯Major 6th13

Key Signature

A dominant chord points home to the key a fifth below its root: the C♯ Dominant 13th is the V (dominant) of F# Major, so the relevant key signature is that key’s — 6 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯). Spelled as a scale, these notes are C# Mixolydian.

F♯C♯G♯D♯A♯E♯

Order of sharps

Sharps are added to a key signature in a fixed order. Each new sharp key adds the next sharp on the list.

FCGDAEB

Mnemonic: Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle

Chords in the Key of F♯ Major

These are the triads built on each degree of the F♯ major scale:

C1C2C3C4C5C6C7C8F♯A♯C♯
IF♯ Major (major)
DegreeNumeralChordQuality
1IF♯ MajorMajor
2iiG♯ MinorMinor
3iiiA♯ MinorMinor
4IVB MajorMajor
5VC♯ MajorMajor
6viD♯ MinorMinor
7vii°F DiminishedDiminished

Same Notes, Other Names

The notes C♯ – E♯ – G♯ – B – D♯ – F♯ – A♯ aren’t exclusive to this chord. Depending on which note is the bass and how the chord functions, the same pitches also spell the following:

C♯ Dominant 13th — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the C♯ Dominant 13th chord on piano?
The C♯ Dominant 13th chord contains the notes C♯ – E♯ – G♯ – B – D♯ – F♯ – A♯. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.
What notes are in the C# Dominant 13th chord?
The C# Dominant 13th chord (C#13) contains 7 notes: C#, F, G#, B, D#, F#, A#. Formula: R-M3-P5-m7-M9-P11-M13.
How is C#13 used in music?
C#13 is used in jazz, fusion, and contemporary music to add harmonic color. It appears as a dominant or tonic chord depending on context.
What is the scale degree formula for C#13?
C#13 uses scale degrees 1-3-5-b7-9-11-13, giving it its distinctive sound.

Related Tools

Chord FinderLook up any chord — see the notes, hear it, and play along.Chord DrillTimed drills to build speed and recognition across all chord types.Practice RoomPlug in a MIDI keyboard and get real-time feedback on every chord and scale.Circle of FifthsVisualize key relationships, relative minors, and key signatures.MIDI MonitorLive MIDI message stream with note names, velocity, and a scrolling staff.

References & Further Reading

The note names, intervals, fingering, and harmony on this chord page are grounded in the following sources. Public domain treatises and scores are linked to their full text; primary data is piano.org's own interval-derived reference dataset — continuously maintained and human-verified, with no fixed publication date.

  1. 1

    George Grove (ed.)(1900)

    A Dictionary of Music and Musicians

    Public domain treatise
  2. 2

    Jadassohn, Salomon(1883)

    A Manual of Harmony

    Public domain treatise
  3. 3

    Beethoven, Ludwig van(1802)

    Piano Sonata No. 14 in C♯ minor, Op. 27 No. 2 ("Moonlight"), i

    Public domain score
  4. 4

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