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D♭ Minor 13th

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

Hear the D♭ Minor 13th chord played for you.

D♭m13
D♭ – E – A♭ – B – E♭ – G♭ – B♭
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 D♭ Minor 13th chord is a seven-note chord made up of D♭, E, A♭, B, E♭, G♭, and B♭. It is built from a root, minor third, perfect fifth, minor seventh, major ninth, perfect eleventh, and major thirteenth.

The Db Minor 13th piano chord (Dbm13) consists of the notes Db, E, Ab, B, Eb, Gb, Bb. 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

Notes:D♭ – E – A♭ – B – E♭ – G♭ – B♭

Key Signature

The key of Db Minor 13th (enharmonically equivalent to C# Minor 13th) has 4 sharps.

F♯C♯G♯D♯

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 Db Minor

These are the diatonic triads built on each degree of the Db minor scale:

C
D
E
F
G
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
i — D♭ Minor (minor)
DegreeNumeralChordQuality
1iDb MinorMinor
2ii°Eb DiminishedDiminished
3IIIE MajorMajor
4ivGb MinorMinor
5vAb MinorMinor
6VIA MajorMajor
7VIIB MajorMajor

Theory: Intervals

Formula: R-m3-P5-m7-M9-P11-M13
Intervals: P1-m3-P5-m7-M9-P11-M13

The D♭ 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.

D♭ Minor 13th — Frequently Asked Questions

What notes are in the Db Minor 13th chord?
Practical voicing: Db–Fb–Cb–Eb–Bb. Enharmonic equivalent of C#m13.
How does Dbm13 differ from Db13?
Dbm13 has minor third (Fb). Db13 has major third (F).
How is Dbm13 used in music?
Richest minor chord on Db. Musicians often use C#m13.
How does Dbm13 differ from Dbm11?
Adds the thirteenth (Bb) for a bright top note.
What songs use Minor 13th chords?
Modal jazz, neo-soul, film scoring.
Do I need to play all seven notes?
No — Db–Fb–Cb–Eb–Bb.

Practice Tips

  • Practical voicing: Db–Fb–Cb–Eb–Bb.
  • Dbm13 and C#m13 are enharmonic.
  • The thirteenth brightens the dark minor sound.
  • Drop fifth and eleventh.
  • Rootless: Fb–Cb–Eb–Bb.
  • Rich minor chord for jazz and neo-soul.

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.