Banjo · Level 8 · Advanced
Dominant thirteenth chords in B♭ major on Banjo
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A dominant thirteenth adds the sixth on top of a seventh chord. It is the polished V chord of big-band and soul arrangements.
Cm9
Notes: C · E♭ · G · B♭ · D
F13
Notes: F · A · C · E♭ · G · D
B♭maj9
Notes: B♭ · D · F · A · C
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord on its own: Cm9, F13 and B♭maj9. Press play on the chord card, then match the sound.
- The short fifth string (g) is only played open; let it ring when it fits the chord.
- Set the tempo to 69 BPM and play the progression with one chord per bar. Keep the third and seventh in the voicing; they define the chord.
- Pinch the bass and top strings on beat one, then roll thumb–index–middle through the other strings.
- Raise the tempo to 92 BPM once you can play the loop three times without stopping.
- Record one take, listen back and check for the thirteenth sitting above the seventh like a melody note.
Listen for
Aim for the thirteenth sitting above the seventh like a melody note. A common mistake is leaving out the seventh, which turns the chord into a plain sixth.
Why it works
The eleventh is normally omitted from a dominant thirteenth because it clashes with the major third.
B♭ major has 2 flats; its relative minor key is G minor.
Questions
What are the chords in ii9–V13–Imaj9 in B♭ major?
In B♭ major the progression is Cm9 | F13 | B♭maj9 | B♭maj9.
What is the key signature of B♭ major?
B♭ major has 2 flats. Its relative minor is G minor.
Is this lesson right for my level?
This is a level 8 lesson (advanced). If it feels too hard, start with “The backdoor progression”.
Your hands learn faster than your eyes.
Reading a chord chart is step one. Play it to a metronome, record it, and hear yourself get better, all in one app.
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