C♯ sixth (C♯6) chord on banjo

Major sixth chord (a major triad plus a major sixth) on C♯: the notes of the C♯6 chord are C♯ – E♯ – G♯ – A♯. The same chord with a different spelling: D♭ sixth (D♭6).

Dots show:

Basic shapemedium

Position 6medium

Position 10medium

Position 8medium

Tap a string on a diagram to hear just that string. The sound is generated in your browser with a physical string model.

Chord finder Transposer Tuner

What the C♯6 chord sounds like

A sixth chord is a major triad with an added major sixth. It has a cheerful, vintage swing colour and often stands in for the tonic in jazz and swing. It has the same notes as the relative minor seventh (C6 = Am7).

Notes of the C♯6 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	C♯	root
3	E♯	major third (4 semitones)
5	G♯	perfect fifth (7 semitones) – often omitted on fretted instruments
6	A♯	major sixth (9 semitones)

How to play it – with fingering

Basic shape

String 1 (D): fret 3, little finger (E♯4)
String 2 (B): fret 2, index finger (C♯4)
String 3 (G): fret 3, ring finger (A♯3)
String 4 (D): fret 3, middle finger (E♯3)

Position 6

String 1 (D): fret 8, little finger (A♯4)
String 2 (B): fret 6, ring finger (E♯4)
String 3 (G): fret 6, middle finger (C♯4)
String 4 (D): fret 6, index finger (G♯3)

Position 10

String 1 (D): fret 11, little finger (C♯5)
String 2 (B): fret 11, ring finger (A♯4)
String 3 (G): fret 10, index finger (E♯4)
String 4 (D): fret 11, middle finger (C♯4)

Five-string banjo in open G tuning (g D G B D). The diagram shows the four long strings; the short 5th string (g) rings open – avoid it when G is not in the chord. In the diagram, × means the string is not played, and a circle means an open string.

Which keys is it in?

The C♯6 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

F♯ major: V6 (dominant)
D♯ minor: VII6

Similar chords and substitutes

If C♯6 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

B♭m – relative minor: two shared notes, a common stand-in for the tonic
Fm – mediant minor (iii): two shared notes
C♯maj7 – a softer, jazzier tonic colour
C♯sus4 – suspended version that resolves back to this chord

Same notes

B♭m7 – the same notes with a different root

Simpler versions

C♯ – all 3 of its notes are in this chord

Richer versions

C♯13 – the same chord plus 2 colour notes

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the C♯6 chord?

C♯, E♯, G♯, A♯. The root is C♯; the intervals of the other notes from the root: major third, perfect fifth, major sixth.

What is the easiest way to play C♯6 on banjo?

The easiest shape above is “Basic shape”. We show 4 shapes, from open and easy versions to movable barre shapes higher up the neck.

How do I read the chord diagram?

Strings run from the lowest (left) to the highest (right) – tick “Left-handed” to mirror it. Rows are frets; a number at the side shows the starting fret. Dots are fingers (1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little), a long bar is a barre, × means don't play that string and ○ means play it open.

Why is a note missing from some C♯6 shapes?

On a fretted instrument you can't always play every note of a 4-note chord. The fifth (G♯) may be dropped – the chord keeps its character without it.

How is the C♯6 chord written?

The chord symbol is C♯6 (also written C#6), and its full name is C♯ sixth.