C6 Guitar Chord (C Major 6th)

Q: What notes are in the C6 chord?

C6 has 4 notes: C, E, G and A . Its formula is 1 – 3 – 5 – 6: C is the root, E a major 3rd, G a perfect 5th and A a major 6th above it.

Q: How do you play C6 on guitar?

The shape in the main diagram is x32210 (open position). Put your little finger (4) on the 3rd fret of the A (5th) string. Put your middle finger (2) on the 2nd fret of the D (4th) string. Put your ring finger (3) on the 2nd fret of the G (3rd) string. Put your index finger (1) on the 1st fret of the B (2nd) string. Let the high E (1st) string ring open (marked O). Don't play the low E (6th) string (marked X). Strum from the A (5th) string down (5 strings).

The C6 guitar chord (C major 6th) has 4 notes: C, E, G and A. Below you'll find 4 shapes with diagrams, how to play it step by step, the keys it belongs to and common progressions that use it.

x32210 · open position

Notes: C – E – G – A
Formula: 1 – 3 – 5 – 6
Type: major 6th
Difficulty: easy

Transpose a song

All 4 ways to play C6 on guitar

x32210 open position
x35555 at the 3rd fret
8x798x at the 7th fret
8-x-10-9-10-8 at the 8th fret

Diagrams: strings run from the lowest on the left; X = don't play, O = open string, numbers = fingers (1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little finger).

How to play C6 on guitar

Main shape: x32210 (open position).

Put your little finger (4) on the 3rd fret of the A (5th) string.
Put your middle finger (2) on the 2nd fret of the D (4th) string.
Put your ring finger (3) on the 2nd fret of the G (3rd) string.
Put your index finger (1) on the 1st fret of the B (2nd) string.
Let the high E (1st) string ring open (marked O).
Don't play the low E (6th) string (marked X).
Strum from the A (5th) string down (5 strings).

C6 notes and intervals

Note	Formula	Interval from the root
C	1	root
E	3	major 3rd
G	5	perfect 5th
A	6	major 6th

Inversions: the same notes with another one in the bass, written as slash chords: C6/E (1st inversion) and C6/G (2nd inversion).

C6 on piano and ukulele

C6 on piano C – E – G – A
C6 on ukulele 0000

Which keys use C6?

C6 is not one of the seven basic triads or 7th chords of a key, but all its notes (C, E, G and A) are in the scales of C major, A minor, F major, G major, D minor and E minor, so it fits songs in those keys.

Transpose C6

Move the chord up or down by semitones to see its name and notes in another key.

C6 C E G A original

Major 6th chords on every root: G6 A♭6A6B♭6B6C6C♯6D6E♭6E6F6F♯6

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the C6 chord?

C6 has 4 notes: C, E, G and A. Its formula is 1 – 3 – 5 – 6: C is the root, E a major 3rd, G a perfect 5th and A a major 6th above it.

What key is C6 in?

C6 is not one of the seven basic triads or 7th chords of a key, but all its notes are in the scales of C major, A minor, F major, G major and D minor, so it fits songs in those keys.

How do you play C6 on guitar?

The shape in the main diagram is x32210 (open position).

Put your little finger (4) on the 3rd fret of the A (5th) string.
Put your middle finger (2) on the 2nd fret of the D (4th) string.
Put your ring finger (3) on the 2nd fret of the G (3rd) string.
Put your index finger (1) on the 1st fret of the B (2nd) string.
Let the high E (1st) string ring open (marked O).
Don't play the low E (6th) string (marked X).
Strum from the A (5th) string down (5 strings).

What is a major 6th chord?

A major 6th chord is a major chord plus a major 6th (1–3–5–6).

How many ways can you play C6 on guitar?

This page shows 4 shapes: x32210 (open position), x35555 (at the 3rd fret), 8x798x (at the 7th fret) and 8-x-10-9-10-8 (at the 8th fret). All of them contain the chord's essential notes.

Is C6 hard to play on guitar?

No: the easiest shape (x32210) has no barre and uses 4 fingers, so it is one of the easier chords to learn. (Difficulty here is a rough guide based on barres, stretches and the number of fingers.)

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Last updated: October 12, 2026