About the C6 chord
The major sixth adds the sixth to a major chord. It is a sweet, settled sound heard in jazz, country and old pop, and a common way to finish a song on the home chord. The symbol for it is C6.
How to play C6
- Put your index finger on the B string at fret 1.
- Put your middle finger on the D string at fret 2.
- Put your ring finger on the low E string at fret 3.
- Strum and let the A and G and high E strings ring open.
1 index · 2 middle · 3 ring · 4 little
Chords in the key of C major
These are the chords built on each note of the C major scale, so they all sound good together with C6. The Roman numeral under each one is its position in the key.
Other C chords
C6 chord questions
What notes are in a C6 chord?
C6 is made of C, E, G and A. In intervals that is 1, 3, 5, 6 above the root, C.
What is the easiest way to play C6?
The first shape above is the most common one: 3 0 2 0 1 0 from the low E string to the high E, where x means don't play that string and 0 means play it open. Start there, and try the other shapes once it feels comfortable.
Is C6 a barre chord?
The main shape above is an open chord with no barre. Some of the other shapes further up the neck do use a barre, which lets you move the same shape to any key.