F13 Guitar Chord

F13 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.

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Shape 1/2

Chord shapes:(2 positions)

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position 1

Arpeggio for this shape

P - m - i - m · Alternating Folk (4/4 · 4 notes · Level 1)

The 1st string is silent. The thumb plays the 6th and the fingers stay on the 3rd and 2nd. All 6 arpeggios

Alternating picking with steady pulse.

Speed:

What sets F13 apart

The notes of F13 are F, A, C, Eb, G and D. F is the root, A the major third, C the fifth, Eb the minor seventh, G the ninth and D the thirteenth. Said aloud, its notes are F, A, C, E flat, G and D.

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

F13 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 1 to 3. There is one more position, starting at fret 8.

Fm7b5 is very close. You only move strings 3 and 2. Inside F13 sits a complete Dm chord, made of F, A and D. F shares two positions with this shape.

F13 belongs to only one key, Bb major, where it is the V13.

Chord Progressions

Explore recommended harmonic circles on CifraLab:

Recommended practice sequences

01F F - Dm - Gm - C7 02Am Am - F - Dm - E7

Music Theory & Formula

Component notes and harmonic structure (F13)

Formula: F13 (1 - 3 - 5 - ♭7 - 9 - 13)

Constituent chord intervals:

F 1A 3C 5Eb ♭7G 9D 13

Root Bass (Fundamental String)6th String (Low E) • Fret 1 (F)

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

2 Fretboard Positions

Other fretboard positions for F13:

Select each shape in the diagram above to view and listen to it

position 1

Standard Position

4 / 6 stringsRoot: 6th String (Low E)

String Control (Muted & Active):

Root

6th String (Low E)

Fret 1Finger 1

FDegree 1

5th String (A)

×Muted

Do not play

4th String (D)

Fret 1Finger 2

EbDegree ♭7

3rd String (G)

Fret 2Finger 3

ADegree 3

2nd String (B)

Fret 3Finger 4

DDegree 13

1st String (High E)

×Muted

Do not play

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

position 8

Barre fret 8

5 / 6 stringsRoot: 5th String (A)

String Control (Muted & Active):

6th String (Low E)

×Muted

Do not play

Root

5th String (A)

Fret 8Finger 2

FDegree 1

4th String (D)

Fret 7Finger 1

ADegree 3

3rd String (G)

Fret 8Barre

EbDegree ♭7

2nd String (B)

Fret 8Barre

GDegree 9

1st String (High E)

Fret 10Finger 4

DDegree 13

Placement tip: Barre fret 8. Press: 5th String (A) at fret 8 with your Middle finger, 4th String (D) at fret 7 with your Index finger, 1st String (High E) at fret 10 with your Pinky finger. Don't play: 6th String (Low E).

Biomechanics & Posture

Ergonomic tips to play without tension or fatigue (F13)

Standard Position

The shape in numbers

Item	In this chord
Frets	1 to 3
Fretting fingers	4
Open	none
Muted	5th 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 F13

Listen: F13 → F · Am · Bb

F13 → F01

Pivot / Anchor Finger:2 shared positions

Stay in place

string 6, fret 1
string 3, fret 2

Move

string 5, fret 3
string 4, fret 3
string 2, fret 1
string 1, fret 1

F13 → Am02

Pivot / Anchor Finger:1 finger stays

Stay in place

finger 3: string 3, fret 2

Move

finger 2: string 4, fret 2
finger 1: string 2, fret 1

F13 → Bb03

Pivot / Anchor Finger:1 shared position

Stay in place

string 2, fret 3

Move

string 5, fret 1
string 4, fret 3
string 3, fret 3
string 1, fret 1

F13 in every key

F13 sits in the scale of 1 keys.

Main shape at a glance

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

Major keys

V13Bb major

F13 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 (F13)

The questions that come up most when playing this chord

Which strings are played and which are muted in the F13 chord?

To play the F13 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 F13 chord and on which string is it located?

The primary bass note of the F13 chord is its root note: F. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 6 at fret 1.

When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.

What notes make up the F13 chord and what is its formula?

The F13 chord is constructed using the 1 - 3 - 5 - ♭7 - 9 - 13 formula (F13). Its constituent pitches are F, A, C, Eb, G, D.

How do you prevent the F13 chord from buzzing or sounding muted?

To prevent the F13 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 F13 chord diagram

F13 guitar chord diagram with fingering for fingers 1 to 4

Download HD sheet

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