C♭ Major 13th
Hear the C♭ Major 13th chord played for you.
C♭maj13
C♭ – E – G – B – D – F – A
Formula:R-M3-P5-M7-M9-P11-M13
Intervals:P1-M3-P5-M7-M9-P11-M13
Scale Degrees:1-3-5-7-9-11-13
Introduction
The C♭ Major 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, major seventh, major ninth, perfect eleventh, and major thirteenth.
The Cb Major 13th piano chord (Cbmaj13) consists of the notes Cb, E, G, B, D, F, A. It is a major 11th chord with an added major 13th, giving it a lush, complete character that includes all seven diatonic scale degrees. Formula: R-M3-P5-M7-M9-P11-M13 | Scale degrees: 1-3-5-7-9-11-13.
Notes
Key Signature
The key of Cb Major 13th has 7 flats.
B♭E♭A♭D♭G♭C♭F♭
Order of flats
Flats are added in a fixed order — the reverse of the sharp order. Each new flat key adds the next flat on the list.
B♭E♭A♭D♭G♭C♭F♭
Mnemonic: Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’ Father
Chords in the Key of Cb Major
These are the diatonic triads built on each degree of the Cb major scale:
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
I — B Major (major)
Theory: Intervals
Formula: R-M3-P5-M7-M9-P11-M13
Intervals: P1-M3-P5-M7-M9-P11-M13
The C♭ Major 13th is built by stacking intervals from the root note. The formula R-M3-P5-M7-M9-P11-M13 describes the scale degrees used. The intervals P1-M3-P5-M7-M9-P11-M13 show the distance between each note in the chord.
C♭ Major 13th — Frequently Asked Questions
What notes are in the Cb Major 13th chord?
Practical voicing: Cb–Eb–Bb–Db–Ab. Enharmonic equivalent of Bmaj13.
How does Cbmaj13 differ from Cb13?
Cbmaj13 has major seventh (Bb). Cb13 has minor seventh (Bbb/A).
How is Cbmaj13 used in music?
Enharmonic equivalent of Bmaj13. Musicians use Bmaj13 in practice.
What songs use Major 13th chords?
Jazz, fusion. Sound identical regardless of spelling.
How does Cbmaj13 differ from Cbmaj9?
Adds the thirteenth (Ab) for warmth.
Do I need to play all seven notes?
No — use practical voicing.
Practice Tips
- Cbmaj13 and Bmaj13 are enharmonic.
- Translate to Bmaj13 for easier reading.
- Keyboard notes identical.
- Understanding both spellings builds fluency.
- Drop fifth and eleventh for practical voicing.
- The thirteenth adds sweet warmth.
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.