B sixth (B6) chord on guitar

Major sixth chord (a major triad plus a major sixth) on B: the notes of the B6 chord are B – D♯ – F♯ – G♯.

Dots show:

Easy versioneasy

A shape, fret 2medium

G shape, fret 4hard

E shape, fret 7hard

D shape, fret 9medium

C shape, fret 11medium

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 B6 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 B6 chord

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

How to play it – with fingering

Easy version, barre at fret 1

String 1 (e): fret 2, ring finger (F♯4)
String 2 (B): open (B3)
String 3 (G): fret 1, index finger (G♯3)
String 4 (D): fret 1, index finger (D♯3)
String 5 (A): fret 2, middle finger (B2)
String 6 (E): not played

For the barre, lay your index finger flat across all the marked strings at fret 1; your other fingers press the higher frets.

A shape, fret 2

String 1 (e): fret 4, ring finger (G♯4)
String 2 (B): fret 4, ring finger (D♯4)
String 3 (G): fret 4, ring finger (B3)
String 4 (D): fret 4, ring finger (F♯3)
String 5 (A): fret 2, index finger (B2)
String 6 (E): not played

G shape, fret 4, barre at fret 4

String 1 (e): fret 4, index finger (G♯4)
String 2 (B): fret 4, index finger (D♯4)
String 3 (G): fret 4, index finger (B3)
String 4 (D): fret 4, index finger (F♯3)
String 5 (A): fret 6, ring finger (D♯3)
String 6 (E): fret 7, little finger (B2)

For the barre, lay your index finger flat across all the marked strings at fret 4; your other fingers press the higher frets.

The “C, A, G, E and D shapes” are the CAGED system: you slide the shape of the open C, A, G, E or D chord up the neck and your index finger (a barre) takes over the job of the nut. That way the same chord can be played in five places, anywhere on the fretboard.

Tuning: E A D G B E (low to high). String 6 is the thickest, the low E. In the diagram, × means the string is not played, and a circle means an open string.

Playing B6 with a capo

A capo clamps all the strings at one fret, so a familiar open shape sounds higher. You can also get a B6 chord with these open shapes:

Capo: fret 2
shape: A6

Capo: fret 4
shape: G6

Capo: fret 7
shape: E6

Rework a whole song for a capo: chord transposer →

Which keys is it in?

The B6 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

B major: I6 (tonic)
E major: V6 (dominant)
F♯ major: IV6 (subdominant)
C♯ minor: VII6
G♯ minor: III6
D♯ minor: VI6

Similar chords and substitutes

If B6 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

A♭m – relative minor: two shared notes, a common stand-in for the tonic
E♭m – mediant minor (iii): two shared notes
Bmaj7 – a softer, jazzier tonic colour
Bsus4 – suspended version that resolves back to this chord

Same notes

A♭m7 – the same notes with a different root

Simpler versions

B – all 3 of its notes are in this chord
B5 – all 2 of its notes are in this chord

Richer versions

B13 – the same chord plus 2 colour notes

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the B6 chord?

B, D♯, F♯, G♯. The root is B; the intervals of the other notes from the root: major third, perfect fifth, major sixth.

What is the easiest way to play B6 on guitar?

The easiest shape above is “Easy version”, rated easy. We show 6 shapes, from open and easy versions to movable barre shapes higher up the neck. With a capo you can also play it as a A6 shape at fret 2 or a G6 shape at fret 4.

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 B6 shapes?

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

Why do some songbooks write H instead of B?

In German and Central European notation, H is the note B, and B is the note B♭. So a “B” chord in a German or Hungarian songbook is B♭ in English notation, and an “H” chord is B. Always check which notation your chord chart uses.