C#maj13

C#maj13 is C#, E#, G#, B#, D# and A#, a major thirteenth. The shape this page opens on is written x41311, lowest string first.

Also written C#M13, C#Δ13 or C# major 13. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 6 common shapes for C#maj13 on the guitar, and 49 derived voicings in 4 families.

In which keys. Every note of C#maj13 belongs to C# major (the I), F minor (the ♭VI), Ab major (the IV) and Bb minor (the ♭III).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: x41311, x43311, x44566, 988898, 9-9-10-10-11-9, x-13-11-11-13-13.

Shell. Root, third and seventh: the guide tones fix the quality, so the fifth is dropped. That is what leaves a string free, so pick a tension to put on top. C#maj13 has x4x566, 9-x-10-10-11-x.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. C#maj13 has x3332x, xx8668, 8886xx, x-x-10-10-11-9, x-15-15-15-14-x, xx3526, 6435xx, x4856x.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. C#maj13 has x3x321, 6x352x, x4x566, 8x866x, x-13-x-10-13-9, 9-x-10-10-11-x, 13-x-11-15-13-x, x-15-x-15-14-13.

Rootless. The root left to the bass player. Frees a finger for a tension. C#maj13 has xx1311, x1311x, x3334x, xx6566, xx8868, x-x-8-10-9-8, x-x-10-10-11-11, x-11-10-10-11-x.

Tensions. A shell of C#maj13, root, third and seventh, leaves a string free, and the tones that belong over it are the #11 (F##).

The common shapes and the derived voicings come from different places, and both are explained in where the chords and the theory come from.