Sixth chord · C root
C6 chord
- C1
- E3
- G5
- A6
The C sixth chord is built from the notes C, E, G, A. It turns up 13 times in the 104 songs on this site, including Bye Bye Blackbird and Georgia on My Mind.
By Chiye · Updated
What is the C6 chord?
The C6 chord (C sixth) is a sixth chord built from four notes: C, E, G, A — the 1–3–5–6 of the C scale, 4 semitones and 7 semitones and 9 semitones above the root. On guitar it is most often played in open position (x-3-2-2-1-0) with 4 fretted strings while 1 string rings open and the low E string stays silent. It is rated intermediate. A warm, vintage chord that sits between major and minor moods. Across the 104 song sheets in this site's library, C6 appears 13 times in 2 songs, most often in the keys of F and C, and the chord it most often moves to is Cm6. Below you will find step-by-step fingering, 3 positions up the neck, audio of every shape, and the real progressions this chord lives inside.
How do you play the C6 chord on guitar?
Open position. The barre covers only part of the strings; keep the marked open strings ringing.
- Lay your middle finger flat across the D to G strings at fret 2, rolled slightly onto its bony edge.
- Press the A string at fret 3 with your ring finger.
- Press the B string at fret 1 with your index finger.
- Start your strum on the A string and do not play the low E string at all.
Leave out the lowest fretted note (A string) and practise the remaining strings. The bass changes, and the upper strings may still need a smaller barre; check that the third and other colour tones stay clear. x-x-2-2-1-0
How do you make C6 sound clean?
C6 gets played as a fresh grip instead of C with one finger moved on the G string.
Compare C, C6 and C7. On the G string the notes move G, A, Bb at frets 0, 2 and 3; keep the C shape on the other strings.
In real songs
What songs use the C6 chord?
- chord changes
- 13
- songs
- 2
- common keys
- F · C
Across the 104 chord sheets on this site, C6 appears 13 times in 2 songs — most often in the keys of F and C.
FC6FC6
FC6Dm7G7
FC6FC6
Chord flow
What chord comes after C6?
Every number here is a count from the progressions in our song sheets, not a generalisation: 1879 chord changes are behind these figures.
Three-chord moves
Three-chord moves are where a chord really shows its character. These are the ones that actually happen in this library, counted from the sheets:
What other ways can you play C6 up the neck?
2 more positions below. Learn one of these well and the rest become optional. The value of a second position is practical: it keeps your fretting hand near where the song is already heading.
Position 2 · Fret 3 barre
Every note here is fretted, which means the shape transposes anywhere on the neck without changing your fingers.
It uses 2 separate barres. Fret each one across its marked strings, then add the other fingers without damping the ringing notes.
Position 3 · Fret 8 barre
No open strings, so this is a movable shape: slide it up or down and the same fingering gives you a different chord name.
It uses 2 separate barres. Fret each one across its marked strings, then add the other fingers without damping the ringing notes.
The theory behind C6
C6 is spelled C – E – G – A — the 1 – 3 – 5 – 6 of the C scale, which is the root plus 4 semitones, 7 semitones, 9 semitones. A warm, vintage chord that sits between major and minor moods.
The sixth is the same note a minor third below the octave, and on guitar it is often already ringing in the open position — which is why 6th chords feel easier to play than they look on paper.
C6 on other instruments
C – E – G – A — all white keys, so you can find the shape by counting up from C.
Take it to the practice room
