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Chord · Reference entry

B Major 13th

Major 13th · B – D♯ – F♯ – A♯ – C♯ – E – G♯ · intervals P1-M3-P5-M7-M9-P11-M13

The B Major 13th chord (Bmaj13) contains the notes B, D♯, F♯, A♯, C♯, E, and G♯. Its interval formula is R-M3-P5-M7-M9-P11-M13. A major 11th plus the 13th — maximally consonant extended chord, dense and shimmering.

At the keyboard

B · D# · F# · A# · C# · E · G#
Flashcards · Chord
Three questions on B Major 13th
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Bmaj13

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

Construction

B Major 13th = Root + Major 3rd + Perfect 5th + Major 7th + Major 2nd + Perfect 4th + Major 6th = B · D♯ · F♯ · A♯ · C♯ · E · G♯
NoteIntervalDegree
BRoot1
D♯Major 3rd3
F♯Perfect 5th5
A♯Major 7th7
C♯Major 2nd9
EPerfect 4th11
G♯Major 6th13

Key Signature

A chord has no key signature of its own, but the B Major 13th is the tonic (I) chord of B Major, whose key signature has 5 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯).

F♯C♯G♯D♯A♯

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 B Major

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

C1C2C3C4BC5C6C7C8D#F#
IB Major (major)
DegreeNumeralChordQuality
1IB MajorMajor
2iiC♯ MinorMinor
3iiiD♯ MinorMinor
4IVE MajorMajor
5VF♯ MajorMajor
6viG♯ MinorMinor
7vii°A♯ DiminishedDiminished

Same Notes, Other Names

The notes B – D♯ – F♯ – A♯ – C♯ – E – G♯ 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:

B Major 13th — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the B Major 13th chord on piano?
The B Major 13th chord contains the notes B – D♯ – F♯ – A♯ – C♯ – E – G♯. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.
What notes are in the B Major 13th chord?
Practical voicing: B–D#–A#–C#–G# (root, third, seventh, ninth, thirteenth).
How does Bmaj13 differ from B13?
Bmaj13 has major seventh (A#). B13 has minor seventh (A).
How is Bmaj13 used in music?
Richest tonic in B Major. Contemporary jazz, fusion.
How does Bmaj13 differ from Bmaj9?
Adds the thirteenth (G#) for warmth.
What songs use Major 13th chords?
Jazz, fusion, atmospheric music.
Do I need to play all seven notes?
No — B–D#–A#–C#–G#.

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

    Goetschius, Percy(1889)

    The Material Used in Musical Composition

    Public domain treatise
  2. 2

    Riemann, Hugo(1896)

    Harmony Simplified (English translation)

    Public domain treatise
  3. 3

    George Grove (ed.)(1900)

    A Dictionary of Music and Musicians

    Public domain treatise
  4. 4

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Entry reviewed and maintained by Justin Evans. Corrections are read and applied.Report an error

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