How to Play and Understand 13th Chords (Major, Dom)

[PatrickDavid]

Hey dudes,

 

I'm back making theory and guitar tech videos,

here's the first one, one of many.

 

It's on how to write out and play 13th chords.

Everyone can understand this theory

 

Hope it helps!

 

[video=youtube;2cxw4aXNV_s]

[jonfinn]

I like that the video shows lots of footage on how to finger the chord. Probably really helpful for a beginner. It's also great that you explain the theory, then go further to explain that theory and guitar are often "awkward friends" if you know what I mean. You're clearly getting better at it.

 

A couple of tips:

 

-Cmaj13 is a chord that comes up occasionally in jazz, but rarely in rock. Even tho your theory is correct, there's a "thing" in jazz voicing that's sorta like the "no parallel 5ths" rule in counterpoint. In jazz voicings, it's good to avoid b9 intervals within the inner voicings of a chord. In your Cmaj13 example, there's a b9 interval between the B (on the D string) and the C (on the high E string).

 

More commonly used voicings for Cmaj13 are:

 

four-note voicing w/ omitted 5th:

-x-

-10-

-9-

-9-

-x-

-8-

 

6-note voicing:

-7-

-8-

-7-

-7-

-7-

-8-

 

5-note voicing w/ omitted 5th:

-5-

-5-

-7-

-9-

-x-

-8-

 

Please disregard if you think it might be too esoteric!

[stomias]

Jon's 5 note voicing is my go to. It's one that will take some time to master, but sounds great 1 7 9 3 13...........Get rid of that 5th!!

[PatrickDavid]

Completely agree guys!

 

As always Jon Thankyou for taking the time and effort to reply,

I think I'm definitely starting to get my way of thinking across and thanks to this forum

I'm starting to explain that there's more voicings and chord shapes out there, my versions arent the be all end all.

 

As you probably guessed! The reason why I showed the 6 string 5th degree barre version is purely because I assumed most people would know the Dom 7th chord shape already. However!

 

I should have put in more versions, I'm just trying to make the videos as quick as possible,

Hmm maybe I could have played them and only shown tab,

 

Good food for thought!

Thanks guys!