B seventh flat thirteen chord (B7(b13)) on piano
The B seventh flat thirteen chord (B7(b13)) on piano has 5 notes: B, D sharp, F sharp, A, and G (B, D♯, F♯, A, G). On the keyboard below, the root (B) has the strongest color; each key shows the note name and the degree.
- Notes
- BD♯F♯AG
- Formula
- 135♭7♭13
How to play B7(b13) on piano
Root position · From low to high: B D♯ F♯ A G
The small dot marks middle C (C4). Tap a key to hear the note.
B7(b13) chord inversions
Inverting a chord means putting another of its notes in the bass (the lowest key) without changing the notes. Inversions shorten the way your hand travels from one chord to the next and slightly change the color of the sound.
-
1st inversion (B7(b13)/D#)
B7(b13)/D#: D sharp (3) in the bass
From low to high: D♯ F♯ G A B
-
2nd inversion (B7(b13)/F#)
B7(b13)/F#: F sharp (5) in the bass
From low to high: F♯ G A B D♯
-
3rd inversion (B7(b13)/A)
B7(b13)/A: A (♭7) in the bass
From low to high: A B D♯ F♯ G
Notes and intervals of B7(b13)
B7(b13) (B seventh flat thirteen) is built from 5 notes. Each one fills a degree of the chord:
- B · 1 · root
- D♯ · 3 · major third
- F♯ · 5 · perfect fifth
- A · ♭7 · minor seventh
- G · ♭13 · flat thirteenth
About the seventh flat thirteen chord
A dominant chord with a flat thirteenth: the ♭13 brings in the colour of the minor key the dominant usually leads to (E7♭13 → Am). Widely used in choro, samba, bolero and jazz. Without the 5th it has the same notes as 7♯5; what changes is the spelling (♭13, not ♯5) and the role of the note, a tension above the 5th.
Other B chords
- B
- Bm
- B7
- B7M
- Bm7
- Bm7(b5)
- B°
- B°7
- B+
- Bsus2
- Bsus4
- B7sus4
- B5
- Badd9
- B6
- Bm6
- B9
- Bm(add9)
- Bm9
- B7M(9)
- Bm(7M)
- B7M(#5)
- B7(b9)
- B6(9)
- Bm6(9)
- B11
- Bm11
- B13
- Bm13
- B7(#9)
- B7(#11)
- B7(b13)
- B7(#5)
- B7M(#11)
- B9sus4
Seventh flat thirteen: other roots
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the B7(b13) chord on piano?
B7(b13) (B seventh flat thirteen) has the notes B, D♯, F♯, A, G. The formula is 1 · 3 · 5 · ♭7 · ♭13: root, major third, perfect fifth, minor seventh, flat thirteenth.
How do you play B7(b13) on piano?
Find the B key and add the other notes above it: B, D♯, F♯, A, G. Play them all together.
What are the inversions of B7(b13)?
1st inversion (B7(b13)/D#): D♯ F♯ G A B; 2nd inversion (B7(b13)/F#): F♯ G A B D♯; 3rd inversion (B7(b13)/A): A B D♯ F♯ G.
What does B7(b13) mean?
B7(b13) is the chord symbol for B seventh flat thirteen. A dominant chord with a flat thirteenth: the ♭13 brings in the colour of the minor key the dominant usually leads to (E7♭13 → Am). Widely used in choro, samba, bolero and jazz. Without the 5th it has the same notes as 7♯5; what changes is the spelling (♭13, not ♯5) and the role of the note, a tension above the 5th.
Is the B7(b13) chord the same on piano and keyboard?
Yes. The notes and inversions are the same on any keyboard instrument: acoustic piano, digital piano, keyboard, organ or synthesizer.