F# Dominant Thirteenth Ukulele Arpeggio
Ukulele arpeggio — fretboard diagram
F# Dominant Thirteenth Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals
Notes: F#, A#, C#, E, G#, D#
Intervals: 1P, 3M, 5P, 7m, 9M, 13M
Formula: 2W-WH-WH-2W-7
Number of notes: 6
Also known as: 13
The F# Dominant Thirteenth arpeggio contains 6 notes (F#, A#, C#, E, G#, D#). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this arpeggio on Ukulele with different tunings and fret ranges.
When to Use the F# Dominant Thirteenth Arpeggio
Play the F# Dominant Thirteenth arpeggio whenever a F# Dominant Thirteenth chord appears in a progression. Unlike scales (which include passing tones), arpeggios guarantee every note you play IS a chord tone, making your solo sound harmonically precise and intentional.
Arpeggio vs. Scale
The F# Dominant Thirteenth arpeggio uses 6 notes (F#, A#, C#, E, G#, D#) while the full scale uses 7. The arpeggio is a subset — think of it as the skeleton of the scale. Practice alternating between the arpeggio and the full scale to develop a melodic vocabulary that mixes chord tones with passing tones.
How to Play F# Dominant Thirteenth Arpeggio on Ukulele
On ukulele, find F# around fret 5 and play through the arpeggio tones (F#, A#, C#, E, G#, D#). You may need to move beyond a single chord shape to reach all 6 notes. Practice connecting the arpeggio tones smoothly across adjacent fret positions.
The F# Dominant Thirteenth arpeggio outlines a dominant seventh chord, creating the tension that wants to resolve. Use it over F#7, F#9, F#13 chords, especially in blues, funk, and jazz where dominant harmony drives the groove.
Practice Routine
Start by playing the F# Dominant Thirteenth arpeggio ascending and descending at 60 BPM, one note per beat, using a metronome. Once even and confident, play it in eighth notes, then triplets, keeping each note articulate. Spend at least 5 minutes daily on this before moving to musical application.
Ukulele Tips
On ukulele, integrate the F# Dominant Thirteenth arpeggio into your fingerpicking by plucking through the chord shape one note at a time. This transforms a static strum into a melodic, harp-like texture that showcases each interval clearly.