Chord Colors

F thirteen chord

Inversions

7fr 8fr

(root position)

Notes and intervals

1 F Root
2 A Major 3rd
3 C Perfect 5th
4 E flat Minor 7th
5 G Major 9th
6 D Major 13th

About the F thirteen chord

The F thirteen chord is a F thirteenth built from F, A, C, E flat, G, D. It sits outside the plain diatonic set, so it is borrowed to add color and tension. Tap the keys or frets above to hear each note, or press Play chord to hear them together.

Other F chords

Simpler triads

F F minor F diminished F augmented

Suspended

F suspended two F suspended four F seven suspended four

Sixths and sevenths

F six F minor six F seven F major seven F minor seven F minor seven flat five F diminished seven F minor major seven

Extensions

F nine F add nine F major nine F minor nine F eleven F six over nine F minor add nine

Altered

F seven sharp five

Functional relationships

These chords are where this one most naturally comes from and resolves to inside a key.

Relative minor D minor

The relative minor uses the same notes and key signature, so it works as a calmer, darker home base.

Parallel minor F minor

The parallel minor keeps the same root note but lowers the third, giving the same key a darker, sadder sound.

Dominant C

The dominant is a fifth above the root, and it builds tension that pulls strongly back to this chord.

Subdominant B flat

The subdominant is a fourth above the root (a fifth below), and it usually leads on to the dominant or back home.

Tritone substitution B thirteen

The tritone substitution is a dominant chord a tritone away that shares the same tension, so it can stand in for this chord and resolve the same way.

What do the colors mean?

Every note has its own fixed color, laid out around the circle of fifths. Once you know the colors, chords and scales turn into patterns you can recognize at a glance.

There is so much more to explore

Play any chord or scale, transpose it, and watch it move around the color wheel in the free Chord Colors app.

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