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Chord · Reference entry

E Minor 13th

Minor 13th · E – G – B – D – F♯ – A – C♯ · intervals P1-m3-P5-m7-M9-P11-M13

The E Minor 13th chord (Em13) contains the notes E, G, B, D, F♯, A, and C♯. 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.

At the keyboard

E · G · B · D · F# · A · C#
Maintained by Justin Evans, a pianist of 25 years
Maintained for accuracy · Last updated July 2026 · How we review
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Em13

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

Construction

E Minor 13th = Root + Minor 3rd + Perfect 5th + Minor 7th + Major 2nd + Perfect 4th + Major 6th = E · G · B · D · F♯ · A · C♯
NoteIntervalDegree
ERoot1
GMinor 3rd♭3
BPerfect 5th5
DMinor 7th♭7
F♯Major 2nd9
APerfect 4th11
C♯Major 6th13

Key Signature

A chord has no key signature of its own, but the E Minor 13th is the tonic (i) chord of E Minor, which shares the signature of its relative major, G Major — 1 sharp (F♯).

F♯

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 E Minor

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

C1C2C3C4EGBC5C6C7C8
i — E Minor (minor)
DegreeNumeralChordQuality
1iE MinorMinor
2ii°F♯ DiminishedDiminished
3IIIG MajorMajor
4ivA MinorMinor
5vB MinorMinor
6VIC MajorMajor
7VIID MajorMajor

Same Notes, Other Names

The notes E – G – B – D – F♯ – A – C♯ 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:

E Minor 13th — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the E Minor 13th chord on piano?
The E Minor 13th chord contains the notes E – G – B – D – F♯ – A – C♯. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.
What notes are in the E Minor 13th chord?
Practical voicing: E–G–D–F#–C#.
How does Em13 differ from E13?
Em13 has minor third (G). E13 has major third (G#).
How is Em13 used in music?
Richest ii in D Major, iii in C Major. Folk-jazz, neo-soul.
How does Em13 differ from Em11?
Adds the thirteenth (C#) for brightness.
What songs use Minor 13th chords?
Modal jazz, neo-soul.
Do I need to play all seven notes?
No — E–G–D–F#–C#.

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.

References & Further Reading

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.

  1. 1

    George Grove (ed.)(1900)

    A Dictionary of Music and Musicians

    Public domain treatise
  2. 2

    Jadassohn, Salomon(1883)

    A Manual of Harmony

    Public domain treatise
  3. 3

    Prout, Ebenezer(1889)

    Harmony: Its Theory and Practice

    Public domain treatise
  4. 4

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