E♭ thirteenth, flat nine

E♭13(♭9)

Also written D♯13(♭9) · Eb13b9

NotesE♭ · G · B♭ · D♭ · F♭ · C
Formula1 · 3 · 5 · ♭7 · ♭9 · 13

F♭ is the key you know as E.

G3F♭♭9C13E♭1B♭5D♭♭7
All its notes, from the root

♭9 (F♭) and 13 (C) together — the half-whole diminished dominant. The 13, ♭9 and 3 make a C major triad, so it is played as C over E♭7.

How pianists voice E♭13(♭9)

Nobody plays a jazz chord in root position. These are the shapes that actually get played — the same ones Cadenza shows when you play the chord.

Shell Left hand

G3E♭1D♭♭7

1 · 3 · ♭7 — root, 3rd and 7th: the three notes that say what the chord is. Left hand, low; everything else is colour.

Rootless A From the 3rd

G3C13F♭♭9D♭♭7

3 · 13 · ♭7 · ♭9 — no root: the bass player has it. The left-hand voicing of modern jazz piano.

Rootless B From the 7th

F♭♭9G3C13D♭♭7

♭7 · ♭9 · 3 · 13 — the other half of the pair. A and B alternate through a ii–V–I so the hand barely moves.

Drop 2 Two hands

C13G3E♭1D♭♭7

13 · 1 · 3 · ♭7 — close position with the second voice from the top dropped an octave: wider, warmer, the standard for chord melody.

Upper structure VI Triad over shell

G3F♭♭9G3C13E♭1D♭♭7

1 · 3 · ♭7 · ♭9 · 3 · 13 — a C major triad in the right hand (13, ♭9 and 3) over the root, 3rd and ♭7 in the left. One familiar shape, all the tension.

Play a chord. See its name.

The free chord finder names whatever you play — on a MIDI keyboard, with your mouse or on your computer keys — with the same engine as Cadenza.

Or let the app follow you.

Cadenza names every chord you play, live, writes what you played as sheet music, and puts the keyboard straight into OBS. The core is free forever.