CifraLab

D13 Guitar Chord

D13 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.

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Shape 1/2
Chord shapes:(2 positions)
D13Guitar fingering diagram for D13Fret 101112131×234×STRING6ªD5ª×4ªC3ªF#2ªB1ª×
View HD sheet

What sets D13 apart

Play D13 one string at a time and you hear D, F#, A, C, E and B. D is the root, F# the major third, A the fifth, C the minor seventh, E the ninth and B the thirteenth. Said aloud, its notes are D, F sharp, A, C, E and B.

String by string, low to high, it plays D, C, F# and B. This shape drops two chord tones, A and E. They are the fifth and ninth. It runs from D on string 6 up to B on string 2.

D13 uses no barre and no open strings, so you can slide the shape up the neck without changing fingers. Strings 5 and 1 stay silent. Your hand covers three frets, from 10 to 12. There is one more position, starting at fret 5.

Inside D13 sits a complete Bm chord, made of D, F# and B.

D13 belongs to only one key, G major, where it is the V13.

Chord Progressions

Explore recommended harmonic circles on CifraLab:

01D D - Bm - Em - A702F#m F#m - D - Bm - C#7
Music Theory & Formula

Component notes and harmonic structure (D13)

Formula: D13 (1 - 3 - 5 - ♭7 - 9 - 13)
Constituent chord intervals:

D 1F# 3A 5C ♭7E 9B 13

Root Bass (Fundamental String)6th String (Low E) • Fret 10 (D)

String Control (Muted & Active)4 / 6 • 2 X Muted

2 Fretboard Positions

Other fretboard positions for D13:

01

position 10

Standard Position
4 / 6 stringsRoot: 6th String (Low E)
String Control (Muted & Active):
Root
6th String (Low E)
Fret 10Finger 1
DDegree 1
5th String (A)
×Muted
Do not play
4th String (D)
Fret 10Finger 2
CDegree ♭7
3rd String (G)
Fret 11Finger 3
F#Degree 3
2nd String (B)
Fret 12Finger 4
BDegree 13
1st String (High E)
×Muted
Do not play

Placement tip: Press: 6th String (Low E) at fret 10 with your Index finger, 4th String (D) at fret 10 with your Middle finger, 3rd String (G) at fret 11 with your Ring finger, 2nd String (B) at fret 12 with your Pinky finger. Don't play: 5th String (A), 1st String (High E).

02

position 5

Barre fret 5
5 / 6 stringsRoot: 5th String (A)
String Control (Muted & Active):
6th String (Low E)
×Muted
Do not play
Root
5th String (A)
Fret 5Finger 2
DDegree 1
4th String (D)
Fret 4Finger 1
F#Degree 3
3rd String (G)
Fret 5Barre
CDegree ♭7
2nd String (B)
Fret 5Barre
EDegree 9
1st String (High E)
Fret 7Finger 4
BDegree 13

Placement tip: Barre fret 5. Press: 5th String (A) at fret 5 with your Middle finger, 4th String (D) at fret 4 with your Index finger, 1st String (High E) at fret 7 with your Pinky finger. Don't play: 6th String (Low E).

Biomechanics & Posture

Ergonomic tips to play without tension or fatigue (D13)

Standard Position

The shape in numbers

ItemIn this chord
Frets10 to 12
Fretting fingers4
Opennone
Muted5th and 1st

What to check

The 5th string stays muted between strings that ring.

What every chord shares is in the fingering reading.

Transitions & Pivot Fingers

Most common chord transitions from D13

Listen: D13 → Em · A7 · G

  1. D13
  2. Em
  3. D13
  4. A7
  5. D13
  6. G
D13 → Em01
Pivot / Anchor Finger:Full shape change

No finger is shared: place the bass on string 5 first, then the rest of the shape.

Move
  • finger 1: string 5, fret 2
  • finger 2: string 4, fret 2
D13 → A702
Pivot / Anchor Finger:Full shape change

No finger is shared: place the bass on string 4 first, then the rest of the shape.

Move
  • finger 1: string 4, fret 2
  • finger 2: string 2, fret 2
D13 → G03
Pivot / Anchor Finger:Full shape change

No finger is shared: place the bass on string 6 first, then the rest of the shape.

Move
  • finger 2: string 6, fret 3
  • finger 1: string 5, fret 2
  • finger 3: string 1, fret 3

D13 in every key

D13 sits in the scale of 1 keys.

Main shape at a glance

Difficulty
3/5
Highest fret
12
Frets the hand covers
3
Barre
No
Strings that ring
4/6
Fretting fingers
4

Major keys

D13 on other instruments

PianoThe same notes on the keyboard.All togetherHear guitar, piano, bass and violin together.
Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions about the chord (D13)

The questions that come up most when playing this chord

Which strings are played and which are muted in the D13 chord?

To play the D13 chord on guitar, only 4 strings are played, from string 6 to string 2. Muted strings must be gently dampened with the fleshy side of a fretting finger to prevent dissonance.

What is the root bass note of the D13 chord and on which string is it located?

The primary bass note of the D13 chord is its root note: D. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 6 at fret 10.

When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.

What notes make up the D13 chord and what is its formula?

The D13 chord is constructed using the 1 - 3 - 5 - ♭7 - 9 - 13 formula (D13). Its constituent pitches are D, F#, A, C, E, B.

How do you prevent the D13 chord from buzzing or sounding muted?

To prevent the D13 chord from buzzing or sounding muted, press the strings using the tips of your fingers at a strict 90-degree hammer angle. Position each finger immediately behind the fret wire with your thumb centered behind the neck.

Study sheet · High resolution

Official D13 chord diagram

D13 guitar chord diagram with fingering for fingers 1 to 4
Download HD sheet

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Other chords in the D family:

Chord D Chord Db Chord Dm Chord D7 Chord Db7 Chord Dmaj7 Chord Dbmaj7 Chord Dm7