About the A♭13 chord
The dominant thirteenth adds the thirteenth, the same note as the sixth, to a seventh chord. On guitar the fifth and ninth are usually left out. It is a big, warm jazz and blues chord. The symbol for it is A♭13. (also written G♯13)
How to play A♭13
- Lay your index finger flat across the top 3 strings at fret 1, pressing just behind the fret.
- Put your middle finger on the A string at fret 3.
- Put your ring finger on the low E string at fret 4.
- Put your little finger on the D string at fret 4.
- Strum all six strings.
1 index · 2 middle · 3 ring · 4 little
Chords in the key of A♭ major
These are the chords built on each note of the A♭ major scale, so they all sound good together with A♭13. The Roman numeral under each one is its position in the key.
Other A♭ chords
A♭13 chord questions
What notes are in a A♭13 chord?
A♭13 is made of A♭, C, E♭, G♭ and F. In intervals that is 1, 3, 5, ♭7, 13 above the root, A♭.
What is the easiest way to play A♭13?
The first shape above is the most common one: 4 3 4 1 1 1 from the low E string to the high E, where x means don't play that string and 0 means play it open. It uses a barre, so if that is hard at first, try one of the other shapes.
Is A♭13 a barre chord?
The main shape uses a barre, where one finger holds down several strings at once. Press just behind the fret and roll the finger slightly onto its side.