C dominant thirteenth
C13 Piano Voicings
C13 is the largest common dominant chord, adding the thirteenth for a warm, complete sound. The thirteenth and third/seventh guide tones do most of the work.
Drill C13 in all 12 keysThe notes in C13
- C R
- E 3
- G 5
- Bb ♭7
- D 9
- A 13
C13 voicings on piano
Each voicing is the exact shape the trainer drills. Press play to hear it — as a block chord or rolled note by note.
Root Position
C · E · G · Bb · D · A R · 3 · 5 · ♭7 · 9 · 13
Shell Voicing
C · E · Bb R · 3 · ♭7
Rootless A
E · G · Bb · D 3 · 5 · ♭7 · 9
Rootless B
Bb · D · E · G ♭7 · 9 · 3 · 5
Where C13 fits in a ii-V-I
C13 is the largest common dominant chord, adding the thirteenth for a warm, complete sound. The thirteenth and third/seventh guide tones do most of the work.
The fastest way to internalise C13 is to drill it in context across all 12 keys until the shape is automatic.
Practice the full ii-V-I progressionC13 — frequently asked questions
What notes are in C13?
C13 contains C, E, G, B♭, D and A — root, third, fifth, flat seventh, ninth and thirteenth.
How do you voice C13 with two hands?
A typical C13 voicing plays the guide tones E and B♭ in the left hand and adds the ninth (D) and thirteenth (A) on top in the right hand.