C6 is a C major chord with one note added: A, the sixth. It keeps the calm of C and gives it a softer, rounder edge, the sound of a swing ending or a bossa nova comp. It does not pull anywhere the way C7 does; it is a chord you can rest on. And if you already play the open C, the first shape costs you one finger.
C6 chord: notes and shapes at a glance
- Name: C major sixth
- Symbol: C6
- Notes: C, E, G, A
Each shape below is written from the thickest string to the thinnest: a
number is the fret, 0 an open string, x a string you
do not play. New to this? See how to read chord diagrams.
| Shape | Frets, low E to high E | Notes, low to high | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| C6, open | x32210 | C E A C E without G | The open C chord plus A on the G string. No G in it: the fifth is left out, and the chord still reads clearly as C6. |
| C6, A shape | x35555 | C G C E A | All four notes, with C in the bass. The third finger lies flat across the top four strings at fret 5. |
| C6, jazz voicing | 8x798x | C A E G | Root on the low E, then A, E and G: complete and compact, the shape for swing and bossa comping. |
Read each diagram from the thickest string on the left to the thinnest on the right. A cross means the string is not played, a circle means it rings open.
C6 on the neck: every C, E, G, A
Standard tuning, frets 0 to 12. The highlighted notes are the notes of C6: any shape you build from them, anywhere on the neck, is still C6.
How to play the open C6: x32210
Build the open C chord first, then add the fourth finger on the G string at fret 2. That fretted A is the whole C6.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (low E) | x | - | - | Not played |
| 5 (A) | 3 | 3 | C | Root |
| 4 (D) | 2 | 2 | E | Major third |
| 3 (G) | 2 | 4 | A | Sixth |
| 2 (B) | 1 | 1 | C | Root |
| 1 (high E) | open | - | E | Major third |
The fourth finger sits right next to the second, at the same fret: arch it so it does not lean on the D string. Lift it off, and you are back on a plain C. Keep the low E silent: an open E under this shape blurs the bass, which should stay C.
C6, C7, Cmaj7: one note apart
Take a C major chord and add a fourth note. Which note you add decides what the chord does next.
C6 and Am7: the same four notes
C6 is C, E, G, A. Am7 is A, C, E, G. Same notes, so which chord is it? The
bass decides. Play 8x798x with C on the low E: you hear C6. Play
5x555x, A on the low E with G, C and E above it: you hear
Am7. Switch between the two shapes and listen to the center of gravity
move while the color barely changes.
This is useful in two directions. If a chart says Am7 and you only have the open C6 in your hands, you know why it sounds close. And if a bass player is holding A under your C6, the band is playing Am7, whatever your chord box says.
Progressions to practice C6
In the key of C, C6 sits on the I chord: it is where a phrase comes home. These loops let you hear it arrive.
| Chords | Shapes | What to hear |
|---|---|---|
| C, C6 | x32010, x32210 | Only the fourth finger moves. Hear the A appear. |
| F, G7, C6 | 133211, 320001, x32210 | A full cadence that ends softer than on C. |
| Dm7, G7, C6 | xx0211, 320001, x32210 | The ii V I of C, with a jazz ending. |
| C6, Am7 | 8x798x, 5x555x | Same notes, the bass moves from C to A. |
For the F in the second line, the F chord page has easier shapes than the full barre.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play a C6 chord on guitar?
What notes are in C6?
Is C6 the same as Am7?
What is the difference between C6 and C7?
When should I use C6 instead of C?
Who made this
Guitar Social Club is the work of Yohann Abbou, a guitar teacher in Paris who teaches adults. Every shape on this page is written string by string and checked against standard tuning, and the diagrams are drawn from those same fret numbers. The rest of our free guitar tools, including the chord finder, work the same way.
More about Yohann on his page, and about why Guitar Social Club exists.