B Minor 13th
Hear the B Minor 13th chord played for you.
Bm13
B – D – F♯ – A – C♯ – E – G♯
Formula:R-m3-P5-m7-M9-P11-M13
Intervals:P1-m3-P5-m7-M9-P11-M13
Scale Degrees:1-b3-5-b7-9-11-13
Introduction
The B Minor 13th chord is a seven-note chord made up of B, D, F♯, A, C♯, E, and G♯. It is built from a root, minor third, perfect fifth, minor seventh, major ninth, perfect eleventh, and major thirteenth.
The B Minor 13th piano chord (Bm13) consists of the notes B, D, F#, A, C#, E, G#. It is a minor 11th chord with an added major 13th, giving it a dark and sophisticated character often used in jazz ballads and modal jazz. Formula: R-m3-P5-m7-M9-P11-M13 | Scale degrees: 1-b3-5-b7-9-11-13.
Notes
Key Signature
The key of B Minor 13th has 2 sharps.
F♯C♯
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.
F♯C♯G♯D♯A♯E♯B♯
Mnemonic: Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle
Chords in the Key of B Minor
These are the diatonic triads built on each degree of the B minor scale:
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
i — B Minor (minor)
Theory: Intervals
Formula: R-m3-P5-m7-M9-P11-M13
Intervals: P1-m3-P5-m7-M9-P11-M13
The B Minor 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.
B Minor 13th — Frequently Asked Questions
What notes are in the B Minor 13th chord?
Practical voicing: B–D–A–C#–G#.
How does Bm13 differ from B13?
Bm13 has minor third (D). B13 has major third (D#).
How is Bm13 used in music?
Richest ii in A Major, iii in G Major. Folk-jazz, acoustic, pop.
How does Bm13 differ from Bm11?
Adds the thirteenth (G#) for brightness.
What songs use Minor 13th chords?
Modal jazz, folk-jazz, neo-soul.
Do I need to play all seven notes?
No — B–D–A–C#–G#.
Practice Tips
- Practical voicing: B–D–A–C#–G#.
- Bm13 in folk-jazz and acoustic settings.
- The thirteenth (G#) brightens the dark B minor.
- Practice Bm13 → E13 → Amaj13.
- Rootless: D–A–C#–G#.
- Compare with Bm11.
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.