How to play A7b13: a dominant 7th flat 13 built on A, with 1 voicing, the notes, the keys it belongs to, and songs that use it.
The first diagram is a common voicing: an open-position shape using 2 open strings, played near the nut. An X above a string means don't play it; an O means play it open.
Frets from the low E string to the high E string: x 0 x 0 2 1 (x = not played).
| Note | A | C# | G | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | R | 3 | b7 | b13 |
A7b13 is a dominant 7th flat 13 with A as its root. The full theoretical spelling is A, C#, E, G, B, D, F. This voicing omits the 5th and 9th and 11th, the tones guitarists drop first when fitting a chord onto six strings. A note on 13th chords: the root, 3rd, 7th, and 13th are generally considered sufficient in practice, although the technical definition spells the 9th and 11th as part of the chord too.
A7b13 is not a diatonic chord in any major or minor key: it turns up as a borrowed chord, a passing chord or an altered dominant, which is part of its color.
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A7b13 is spelled A, C#, E, G, B, D, F: the root, 3rd, 5th, flat 7th, 9th, 11th, flat 13th. The common guitar voicing sounds A, C#, G, F, leaving out the 5th and 9th and 11th.
Frets from the low E string to the high E string: x 0 x 0 2 1 (x means the string is not played). Fret the high E string at the 1st fret. Add the B string at the 2nd fret. The A and G strings ring open. Strum from the A string down, skipping the D string; the low E string stays silent.
A7b13 is not a diatonic chord in any major or minor key: it turns up as a borrowed chord, a passing chord or an altered dominant, which is part of its color.
