How to play E7b13: a dominant 7th flat 13 built on E, with 1 voicing, the notes, the keys it belongs to, and songs that use it.
The first diagram is a common voicing: played at the 6th fret. 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 7 6 7 7 8 (x = not played).
| Note | E | G# | D | C | F# |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | R | 3 | b7 | b13 | 9 |
E7b13 is a dominant 7th flat 13 with E as its root. The full theoretical spelling is E, G#, B, D, F#, A, C. This voicing omits the 5th 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.
E7b13 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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E7b13 is spelled E, G#, B, D, F#, A, C: the root, 3rd, 5th, flat 7th, 9th, 11th, flat 13th. The common guitar voicing sounds E, G#, D, C, F#, leaving out the 5th and 11th.
Frets from the low E string to the high E string: x 7 6 7 7 8 (x means the string is not played). Fret the D string at the 6th fret. Add the A, G and B strings at the 7th fret. Add the high E string at the 8th fret. Strum from the A string down; the low E string stays silent.
E7b13 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.
