HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

In
music Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspe ...
or music theory, a thirteenth is the note thirteen scale degrees from the
root In vascular plants, the roots are the organs of a plant that are modified to provide anchorage for the plant and take in water and nutrients into the plant body, which allows plants to grow taller and faster. They are most often below the su ...
of a chord and also the interval between the root and the thirteenth. The interval can be also described as a compound sixth, spanning an
octave In music, an octave ( la, octavus: eighth) or perfect octave (sometimes called the diapason) is the interval between one musical pitch and another with double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been refer ...
plus a sixth. The thirteenth is most commonly major or minor . A thirteenth chord is the stacking of six (
major Major ( commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicato ...
or minor) thirds, the last being above the 11th of an
eleventh chord In music theory, an eleventh chord is a chord that contains the tertian extension of the eleventh. Typically found in jazz, an eleventh chord also usually includes the seventh and ninth, and elements of the basic triad structure. Variants in ...
. Thus a thirteenth chord is a tertian (built from thirds) chord containing the interval of a thirteenth, and is an
extended chord In music, extended chords are certain chords (built from thirds) or triads with notes ''extended'', or added, beyond the seventh. Ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth chords are extended chords. The thirteenth is the farthest extension diatonic ...
if it includes the ninth and/or the eleventh. "The jazzy thirteenth is a very versatile chord and is used in many genres." Since 13th chords tend to become unclear or confused with other chords when inverted, they are generally found in root position.Benward & Saker (2009). ''Music in Theory and Practice: Volume II'', p.179. Eighth Edition. . For example, depending on voicing, a major triad with an added major sixth is usually called a
sixth chord The term ''sixth chord'' refers to two different kinds of chord, the first in classical music and the second in modern popular music. The original meaning of the term is a ''chord in first inversion'', in other words with its third in the bass a ...
, because the sixth serves as a substitution for the major seventh, thus considered a chord tone in such context. However, Walter Piston, writing in 1952, considered that, "a true thirteenth chord, arrived at by superposition of thirds, is a rare phenomenon even in 20th-century music." This may be due to four-part writing, instrument limitations, and voice leading and stylistic considerations. For example, "to make the chord more playable n_guitar.html"_;"title="guitar.html"_;"title="n_guitar">n_guitar">guitar.html"_;"title="n_guitar">n_guitar_thirteenth_chords_often_omit_the_fifth_and_the_ninth."


_Dominant_thirteenth

Most_commonly,_13th_chords_serve_a_ n_guitar.html"_;"title="guitar.html"_;"title="n_guitar">n_guitar">guitar.html"_;"title="n_guitar">n_guitar_thirteenth_chords_often_omit_the_fifth_and_the_ninth."


_Dominant_thirteenth

Most_commonly,_13th_chords_serve_a_dominant_(music)">dominant_ n_guitar.html"_;"title="guitar.html"_;"title="n_guitar">n_guitar">guitar.html"_;"title="n_guitar">n_guitar_thirteenth_chords_often_omit_the_fifth_and_the_ninth."


_Dominant_thirteenth

Most_commonly,_13th_chords_serve_a_dominant_(music)">dominant_diatonic_function">function_(V13),Benward_&_Saker_(2009),_p.180._whether_they_have_the_exact_intervals_of_a_dominant_thirteenth_or_not._Typically,_a_dominant_chord_anticipating_a_major_resolution_will_feature_a_natural_13,_while_a_dominant_chord_anticipating_a_minor_resolution_will_feature_a_flat_13._Since_thirteenth_chords_contain_more_than_four_notes,_in_ n_guitar.html"_;"title="guitar.html"_;"title="n_guitar">n_guitar">guitar.html"_;"title="n_guitar">n_guitar_thirteenth_chords_often_omit_the_fifth_and_the_ninth."


_Dominant_thirteenth

Most_commonly,_13th_chords_serve_a_dominant_(music)">dominant_diatonic_function">function_(V13),Benward_&_Saker_(2009),_p.180._whether_they_have_the_exact_intervals_of_a_dominant_thirteenth_or_not._Typically,_a_dominant_chord_anticipating_a_major_resolution_will_feature_a_natural_13,_while_a_dominant_chord_anticipating_a_minor_resolution_will_feature_a_flat_13._Since_thirteenth_chords_contain_more_than_four_notes,_in_Four-part_harmony">four-voice_writing_the_root,_third,_seventh,_and_thirteenth_are_most_often_included,_excluding_the_fifth,_ninth,_and_eleventh_._The_third_indicates_the_quality_of_the_chord_as_major_or_minor,_the_seventh_is_important_for_the_quality_as_a_dominant_chord,_while_the_thirteenth_is_necessary_in_a_thirteenth_chord. In_modern_pop/jazz_harmony,_after_the_dominant_thirteenth,_a_thirteenth_chord_(usually_notated_as_X13,_e.g._C13)_contains_an_implied_flatted_seventh_interval._Thus,_a_C13_consists_of_C,_E,_G,_B,_and_A._The_underlying_harmony_during_a_thirteenth_chord_is_usually_
n_guitar.html"_;"title="guitar.html"_;"title="n_guitar">n_guitar">guitar.html"_;"title="n_guitar">n_guitar_thirteenth_chords_often_omit_the_fifth_and_the_ninth."


_Dominant_thirteenth

Most_commonly,_13th_chords_serve_a_dominant_(music)">dominant_diatonic_function">function_(V13),Benward_&_Saker_(2009),_p.180._whether_they_have_the_exact_intervals_of_a_dominant_thirteenth_or_not._Typically,_a_dominant_chord_anticipating_a_major_resolution_will_feature_a_natural_13,_while_a_dominant_chord_anticipating_a_minor_resolution_will_feature_a_flat_13._Since_thirteenth_chords_contain_more_than_four_notes,_in_Four-part_harmony">four-voice_writing_the_root,_third,_seventh,_and_thirteenth_are_most_often_included,_excluding_the_fifth,_ninth,_and_eleventh_._The_third_indicates_the_quality_of_the_chord_as_major_or_minor,_the_seventh_is_important_for_the_quality_as_a_dominant_chord,_while_the_thirteenth_is_necessary_in_a_thirteenth_chord. In_modern_pop/jazz_harmony,_after_the_dominant_thirteenth,_a_thirteenth_chord_(usually_notated_as_X13,_e.g._C13)_contains_an_implied_flatted_seventh_interval._Thus,_a_C13_consists_of_C,_E,_G,_B,_and_A._The_underlying_harmony_during_a_thirteenth_chord_is_usually_Mixolydian_mode">Mixolydian_or_Lydian_dominant_scale.html" "title="Mixolydian_mode.html" ;"title="Four-part_harmony.html" ;"title="diatonic_function.html" ;"title="dominant_(music).html" ;"title="guitar">n_guitar.html" ;"title="guitar.html" ;"title="n guitar">n guitar">guitar.html" ;"title="n guitar">n guitar thirteenth chords often omit the fifth and the ninth."


Dominant thirteenth

Most commonly, 13th chords serve a dominant (music)">dominant diatonic function">function (V13),Benward & Saker (2009), p.180. whether they have the exact intervals of a dominant thirteenth or not. Typically, a dominant chord anticipating a major resolution will feature a natural 13, while a dominant chord anticipating a minor resolution will feature a flat 13. Since thirteenth chords contain more than four notes, in Four-part harmony">four-voice writing the root, third, seventh, and thirteenth are most often included, excluding the fifth, ninth, and eleventh . The third indicates the quality of the chord as major or minor, the seventh is important for the quality as a dominant chord, while the thirteenth is necessary in a thirteenth chord. In modern pop/jazz harmony, after the dominant thirteenth, a thirteenth chord (usually notated as X13, e.g. C13) contains an implied flatted seventh interval. Thus, a C13 consists of C, E, G, B, and A. The underlying harmony during a thirteenth chord is usually Mixolydian mode">Mixolydian or Lydian dominant scale">Lydian dominant In music, the acoustic scale, overtone scale, Lydian dominant scale, Lydian 7 scale, or the Pontikonisian Scale is a seven-note synthetic scale. : This differs from the major scale in having an augmented fourth and a minor seventh scale degre ...
(see chord-scale system). A thirteenth chord does not imply the quality of the ninth or eleventh scale degrees. In general, what gives a thirteenth chord its characteristic sound is the dissonance between the flat seventh and the thirteenth, an interval of a major seventh. In the common practice period the "most common" pitches present in V13 chord are the root, 3rd, 7th, and 13th; with the 5th, 9th, and 11th "typically omitted".Benward & Saker (2009), p.183-84. The 13th is most often in the soprano, or highest voice, and usually resolves down by a 3rd to the tonic I or i. If the V13 is followed by a I9 the 13th may resolve to the 9th.


Other thirteenth chords

These voice leading guidelines may not be followed after the common practice period in techniques such as
parallel harmony In music, parallel harmony, also known as harmonic parallelism, harmonic planing or parallel voice leading, is the parallel movement of two or more melodies (see voice leading). Illustrative example Lines with parallel harmony can be viewed as ...
and in the following example: 13th chords may less often be built on degrees other than the dominant, such as the tonic or subdominant. While the dominant thirteenth is the most common thirteenth chord, the major thirteenth is also fairly common.Hal Leonard Corp. (2003). ''Picture Chord Encyclopedia: Photos, Diagrams and Music Notation for Over 1,600 Keyboard Chords'', p.10. . A major thirteenth chord (containing a major seventh) will nearly always feature a chromatically raised eleventh (C E G B D F A) (see Lydian mode), except for cases when the eleventh is omitted altogether. "It is customary to omit the eleventh on dominant or major thirteenth chords because the eleventh conflicts with the third," in these chords by a semitone.


Inversions

Generally found in root position, the
inversion Inversion or inversions may refer to: Arts * , a French gay magazine (1924/1925) * ''Inversion'' (artwork), a 2005 temporary sculpture in Houston, Texas * Inversion (music), a term with various meanings in music theory and musical set theory * ...
of a complete thirteenth chord including ''all'' seven notes, itself, "a rare phenomenon", is a theoretical impossibility since a new thirteenth chord with a different root is produced, for example Cmaj13 (C-E-G-B-D-F-A) becomes Em139 (E-G-B-D-F-A-C) then G13 (G-B-D-F-A-C-E), and so on, when inverted.


Gallery

Given the number of notes that may be included, there are a great variety of thirteenth chords. The following chords are notated below lead sheet symbols: Image:Thirteenth chord Cm13.png, Thirteenth chord based on minor triadKostka & Payne (1995). ''Tonal Harmony'', p.493. Third Edition. . Image:Thirteenth chord C13+11b9.png, Thirteenth chord with flat ninth Image:Thirteenth chord CMA7(add13).png, Benward & Saker (2009), p.185. File:Thirteenth chord CMA13.png, File:Thirteenth chord C13.png, File:Thirteenth chord CMI7(add13).png, File:Thirteenth chord C13sus.png, File:Thirteenth chord CMA13(sharp11).png, File:Thirteenth chord C13(b5).png, File:Thirteenth chord C13(b9).png, File:Thirteenth chord C13(sharp11).png, Image:Thirteenth chord C13b9.png, Bass note: C or alternatively G. Image:Thirteenth chord C13 guitar.png, "Thirteenth chord inversion with no fifth or ninth and the flatted seventh in the bass." Image:Thirteenth chord C13 guitar b.png, Different voicing for guitar. Image:Dominant thirteenth chord on C 4 voice 2.png, Dominant thirteenth: four-voice version. "This disposition is typical."Cooper (1975), p.227-28. Image:Thirteenth chord collapsed.png, A thirteenth chord "collapsed" into one octave results in a dissonant, seemingly secundal tone cluster. Image:Dominant thirteenth chord on C m13.png, A dominant thirteenth in F minor.


See also

* Jazz chord * Harmonic planing *
Ladder of thirds A modal frame in music is "a number of types permeating and unifying African, European, and American song" and melody., quoted in Richard Middleton (1990/2002). ''Studying Popular Music'', p. 203. Philadelphia: Open University Press. . It may ...
* Mystic chord


References

{{Intervals Chord factors Extended chords Sixths (music) Compound intervals