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Chord · Reference entry
C Minor 13th
Minor 13th · C – E♭ – G – B♭ – D – F – A · intervals P1-m3-P5-m7-M9-P11-M13
The C Minor 13th chord (Cm13) contains the notes C, E♭, G, B♭, D, F, and A. Its interval formula is R-m3-P5-m7-M9-P11-M13. A minor 11th plus the 13th — rich and chromatic, common in modal jazz comping.
Maintained for accuracy · Last updated July 2026 · How we review
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Cm13
The C Minor 13th chord is a seven-note chord made up of C, E♭, G, B♭, D, F, and A. It is built from a root, minor third, perfect fifth, minor seventh, major ninth, perfect eleventh, and major thirteenth.
Construction
C Minor 13th = Root + Minor 3rd + Perfect 5th + Minor 7th + Major 2nd + Perfect 4th + Major 6th = C · E♭ · G · B♭ · D · F · A
Note
Interval
Degree
C
Root
1
E♭
Minor 3rd
♭3
G
Perfect 5th
5
B♭
Minor 7th
♭7
D
Major 2nd
9
F
Perfect 4th
11
A
Major 6th
13
Key Signature
A chord has no key signature of its own, but the C Minor 13th is the tonic (i) chord of C Minor, which shares the signature of its relative major, Eb Major — 3 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭).
B♭E♭A♭
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 C Minor
These are the triads built on each degree of the C minor scale:
The notes C – E♭ – G – B♭ – D – F – A 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:
The C Minor 13th chord contains the notes C – E♭ – G – B♭ – D – F – A. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.
What notes are in the C Minor 13th chord?
The C Minor 13th chord (Cm13) theoretically contains seven notes: C, Eb, G, Bb, D, F, A. Practical voicing: C–Eb–Bb–D–A (root, third, seventh, ninth, thirteenth). Drop fifth and eleventh.
How does Cm13 differ from C13?
Cm13 has a minor third (Eb). C13 has a major third (E). Cm13 is dark and sophisticated; C13 is bright and driving.
How does Cm13 differ from Cm11?
Cm13 adds the thirteenth (A) on top. The thirteenth brightens the chord — Cm11 is dark and full; Cm13 adds a sweet, warm top note to the darkness.
How is Cm13 used in music?
Cm13 appears in jazz ballads, modal jazz, neo-soul, and film scoring. It is the richest minor chord available and creates a dark yet sophisticated sound.
What songs use Minor 13th chords?
Minor 13th voicings appear in modal jazz, neo-soul, and film scores. Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and modern neo-soul artists use m13 for maximum harmonic richness.
Do I need to play all seven notes?
No — drop the fifth and eleventh. C–Eb–Bb–D–A is the standard voicing.
Keep going with the Minor 13th chord — these pages cover the underlying theory, the connected reference material, and the practice tools that work with this chord.
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.