F13 Ukulele Chord
Looking for the F13 chord on your ukulele? It is a barre shape, which feels awkward at first but is well worth learning. Your fingers go on the g, C, E and A strings. The steps below show exactly where each one sits.
A four-finger shape. Here is how to play F13, step by step.
- Notes: F, A, C, Eb, G, Bb and D
- Frets: 7 5 5 6
- Tuning: g C E A
F13 ukulele chord details
- Type
- Dominant 13th
- Also known as
- F thirteenth
- Formula
- 1 3 5 b7 9 11 13
- Intervals
- F (root), A (major 3rd), C (perfect 5th), Eb (minor 7th), G (9th), Bb (11th), D (13th)
- Notes
- F, A, C, Eb, G, Bb and D
- Frets
- 7 5 5 6
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Tuning
- Standard (g C E A)
How to play the F13 chord
Here is the F13 chord step by step:
- Put your little finger on the 7th fret of the g string.
- Put your index finger on the 5th fret of the C string.
- Put your middle finger on the 5th fret of the E string.
- Put your ring finger on the 6th fret of the A string.
- Strum all four strings.
It is a bit of a stretch, so go slow and let your hand learn the shape. These quick tips for tricky chords help. New to these grids? Have a look at how to read a ukulele chord diagram.
What notes are in the F13 chord?
The F13 chord is built from seven notes: F, A, C, Eb, G, Bb and D (the root, major 3rd, perfect 5th, minor 7th, 9th, 11th and 13th). That flat seventh makes a dominant 7th restless. It leans forward and wants to resolve to the next chord, which is why it turns up all over blues and folk. New to these? Have a read about seventh chords.
Ukulele songs that use the F13 chord
Want to go further?
Once F13 feels comfortable, its close relatives are worth exploring: try F7, Fmaj7, Fm and F. F13 pairs most often with C, Bb and Dm, so the few basic chords next to it go a long way. When that feels good, work on switching between chords faster. When you are ready, try some easy ukulele songs.