G♯ Major 13th
Hear the G♯ Major 13th chord played for you.
Introduction
The G♯ Major 13th chord is a seven-note chord made up of G♯, C, D♯, G, A♯, C♯, and F. It is built from a root, major third, perfect fifth, major seventh, major ninth, perfect eleventh, and major thirteenth.
Notes
Key Signature
The key of G# Major 13th (enharmonically equivalent to Ab Major 13th) has 4 flats.
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.
Mnemonic: Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’ Father
Chords in the Key of G♯ Major
These are the diatonic triads built on each degree of the G♯ major scale:
Theory: Intervals
The G♯ 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.
G♯ Major 13th — Frequently Asked Questions
What notes are in the G# Major 13th chord?
How is the G# Major 13th chord used in music?
What is the fingering for G# Major 13th?
What are the inversions of G# Major 13th?
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.