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G♭ Minor 13th

Also Known As
What are Enharmonics?G♭ / F♯ Equivalent

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

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

The Gb Minor 13th piano chord (Gbm13) consists of the notes Gb, A, Db, E, Ab, B, Eb. 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:G♭ – A – D♭ – E – A♭ – B – E♭

Key Signature

The key of Gb Minor 13th (enharmonically equivalent to F# Minor 13th) has 3 sharps.

F♯C♯G♯

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.

FCGDAEB

Mnemonic: Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle

Chords in the Key of G♭ Minor

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

C
D
E
F
G
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
iG♭ Minor (minor)
DegreeNumeralChordQuality
1iG♭ MinorMinor
2ii°A♭ DiminishedDiminished
3IIIA MajorMajor
4ivB MinorMinor
5vD♭ MinorMinor
6VID MajorMajor
7VIIE MajorMajor

Theory: Intervals

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

The G♭ 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.

G♭ Minor 13th — Frequently Asked Questions

What notes are in the Gb Minor 13th chord?
Practical voicing: Gb–Bbb–Fb–Ab–Eb. Enharmonic equivalent of F#m13.
How does Gbm13 differ from Gb13?
Gbm13 has minor third. Gb13 has major third.
How is Gbm13 used in music?
Enharmonic of F#m13, the ii in E Major.
How does Gbm13 differ from Gbm11?
Adds the thirteenth for brightness.
What songs use Minor 13th chords?
Modal jazz, neo-soul.
Do I need to play all seven notes?
No — use practical voicing.

Practice Tips

  • Gbm13 and F#m13 are enharmonic.
  • Translate to F#m13 for easier reading.
  • The thirteenth brightens the dark minor.
  • Drop fifth and eleventh.
  • Practice as ii: Gbm13 → Cb13 → Fbmaj13.
  • Keyboard notes identical.

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.