How to Play Piano Chord: C major 13 — root | PianoKitty

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Cmaj13

root position

C major 13

root position

Notes

C, E, G, B, D, F, A

Parent major scale: C

The notes of the C major scale are:

#	Note	Function
1	C	root
2	D	second
3	E	third
4	F	fourth
5	G	fifth
6	A	sixth
7	B	seventh
8	C	octave
9	D	ninth
10	F	eleventh
11	A	thirteenth

Major scale pattern

The semitone pattern for a major scale is:

WWHWWWH

where:

W = Whole step (2 semitones)
H = Half step (1 semitone)

major 13 chord pattern

1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13

root	C
third	E
fifth	G
seventh	B
ninth	D
eleventh	F
thirteenth	A

Similar chords

C major 11 with a major 3rd added on top (4 semitones)
C minor-major 13 with flattened third
C major 13 sharp 5 with raised fifth
C dominant 13 with flattened seventh

Upper structures

C major 7 stacked under Cm (separated by a major 2nd)

Play it as two chords

D minor C · B

D–F–A = 9, 11, 13 · left hand: root + major 7th
F major C · B

F–A–C = 11, 13, 1 · left hand: root + major 7th

Practice the major 13 chords Practice all inversions of Cmaj13

The keyboard can of every chord — change it any time in Preferences.