Eb 13b9 (Eb13b9)

Also written as D# 13b9 (D# and Eb are the same key).

Download MIDI
1+3+5+b7+b9+13
GEB#D#A#C#
4 4

Notes in Eb 13b9

D# (root)GA#C#EB#

Inversions

Same notes as Eb 13b9, with a different chord tone as the lowest note. Useful for smoother movement between chords instead of jumping around the keyboard.

Root position

D# in the bass

GEB#D#A#C#

1st inversion

G in the bass (Eb13b9/G)

GEB#A#C#D#

2nd inversion

A# in the bass (Eb13b9/A#)

EB#GA#C#D#

3rd inversion

C# in the bass (Eb13b9/C#)

EB#GC#D#A#

4th inversion

E in the bass (Eb13b9/E)

EB#GD#A#C#

5th inversion

B# in the bass (Eb13b9/B#)

B#GED#A#C#

Open voicings

A close-position chord like Eb 13b9 can sound cluttered in the middle of the keyboard. Jazz players open it up by dropping one note down an octave, spreading the same notes wider without changing the chord.

Drop 2

D# on the bottom

EGB#D#A#C#

Drop 3

C# on the bottom

GEB#C#D#A#

The notes D#, G, A#, C#, E and B# make up Eb 13b9.

A dominant thirteenth with a flattened ninth. The b9 adds real bite and urgency, which makes the eventual resolution feel stronger. It is at home in jazz turnarounds and in flamenco tinged progressions where the dominant needs extra drama.

Difficulty: Advanced. Category: Extended chords. Click any highlighted key on the diagram above, or tab to it and press Enter, to hear that single note. Inversions mark the bass note with a contrasting outline.