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C♯ Major 13th

Also Known As
What are Enharmonics?C♯ / D♭ Equivalent

Hear the C♯ Major 13th chord played for you.

C♯maj13
C♯ – F – G♯ – C – 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♯, F, G♯, C, D♯, F♯, and A♯. It is built from a root, major third, perfect fifth, major seventh, major ninth, perfect eleventh, and major thirteenth.

The C# Major 13th piano chord (C#maj13) consists of the notes C#, F, G#, C, 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

Notes:C♯ – F – G♯ – C – D♯ – F♯ – A♯

Key Signature

The key of C# Major 13th has 7 sharps.

F♯C♯G♯D♯A♯E♯B♯

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 C# Major

These are the diatonic triads built on each degree of the C# major scale:

C
D
E
F
G
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
IC♯ Major (major)
DegreeNumeralChordQuality
1IC# MajorMajor
2iiD# MinorMinor
3iiiF MinorMinor
4IVF# MajorMajor
5VG# MajorMajor
6viA# MinorMinor
7vii°C DiminishedDiminished

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 C# Major 13th chord?
C# Major 13th is built from the C# root. Check the interactive keyboard above for exact notes and fingering.
How is the C# Major 13th chord used in music?
C# Major 13th appears in jazz, pop, and classical contexts. Its sound depends on the chord quality (Major 13th).
What is the fingering for C# Major 13th?
See the fingering chart above. Right hand typically uses thumb on root. Left hand uses pinky on root.
What are the inversions of C# Major 13th?
Use the inversion buttons above to see each inversion with notes, fingering, and staff notation.

Practice Tips

  • The fullest extended chord — includes the 13th.
  • Drop the 11th and sometimes the 5th.
  • Rich, complex jazz sound.
  • Compare with the 9th version.
  • Jazz big band voicing.
  • The 13th adds warmth on top.

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.