6th guitar chords
A 6th chord is a major chord with the sixth note of the scale added. It has the same notes as the minor 7th chord three frets lower: C6 and Am7 are the same four notes.
How 6th chords are built
The formula is 1–3–5–6: the root, the major third, the perfect fifth and the major sixth, counted from the root’s major scale. In C6 that gives C · E · G · A.
All 12 6th chords on guitar
Fingerings read from the low E string to the high E string. x = not played, 0 = open. 6 of the twelve main shapes are easy, 5 medium and 1 hard.
| Chord | Notes | Fingering | Position | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C6 | C E G A | x32210 | open position | Easy |
| Db6 | D♭ F A♭ B♭ | x4332x | 2nd fret | Medium |
| D6 | D F♯ A B | xx0202 | open position | Easy |
| Eb6 | E♭ G B♭ C | xx1313 | 1st fret | Medium |
| E6 | E G♯ B C♯ | 022120 | open position | Easy |
| F6 | F A C D | 1x3231 | barre chord, 1st fret | Hard |
| Gb6 | G♭ B♭ D♭ E♭ | 2x132x | 1st fret | Medium |
| G6 | G B D E | 320000 | open position | Easy |
| Ab6 | A♭ C E♭ F | x31111 | 1st fret | Medium |
| A6 | A C♯ E F♯ | x02222 | open position | Easy |
| Bb6 | B♭ D F G | x13333 | 1st fret | Medium |
| B6 | B D♯ F♯ G♯ | x2110x | open position | Easy |
6th chord diagrams
- C6x322104 fingerings · easy
- D6xx02024 fingerings · easy
- E60221204 fingerings · easy
- F61x32314 fingerings · hard
- G63200004 fingerings · easy
- A6x022224 fingerings · easy
- Bb6x133333 fingerings · medium
Where 6th chords appear in a key
In a major key, a major 6th chord fits on the I, V and IV degrees of the scale. For example, C6 is the I chord in C major, V chord in F major and IV chord in G major.