E sixth (E6) chord on guitar

Major sixth chord (a major triad plus a major sixth) on E: the notes of the E6 chord are E – G♯ – B – C♯.

Dots show:

Open positionmedium

D shape, fret 2medium

C shape, fret 4medium

A shape, fret 7medium

G shape, fret 9hard

E shape, fret 12hard

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 E6 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 E6 chord

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

How to play it – with fingering

Open position

String 1 (e): open (E4)
String 2 (B): fret 2, little finger (C♯4)
String 3 (G): fret 1, index finger (G♯3)
String 4 (D): fret 2, ring finger (E3)
String 5 (A): fret 2, middle finger (B2)
String 6 (E): open (E2)

D shape, fret 2

String 1 (e): fret 4, little finger (G♯4)
String 2 (B): fret 2, middle finger (C♯4)
String 3 (G): fret 4, ring finger (B3)
String 4 (D): fret 2, index finger (E3)
String 5 (A): not played
String 6 (E): not played

C shape, fret 4

String 1 (e): fret 4, index finger (G♯4)
String 2 (B): fret 5, middle finger (E4)
String 3 (G): fret 6, ring finger (C♯4)
String 4 (D): fret 6, ring finger (G♯3)
String 5 (A): fret 7, little finger (E3)
String 6 (E): not played

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 E6 with a capo

A capo clamps all the strings at one fret, so a familiar open shape sounds higher. You can also get a E6 chord with these open shapes:

Capo: fret 2
shape: D6

Capo: fret 4
shape: C6

Capo: fret 7
shape: A6

Rework a whole song for a capo: chord transposer →

Which keys is it in?

The E6 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

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

Similar chords and substitutes

If E6 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

C♯m – relative minor: two shared notes, a common stand-in for the tonic
A♭m – mediant minor (iii): two shared notes
Emaj7 – a softer, jazzier tonic colour
Esus4 – suspended version that resolves back to this chord

Same notes

C♯m7 – the same notes with a different root

Simpler versions

E – all 3 of its notes are in this chord
E5 – all 2 of its notes are in this chord

Richer versions

E13 – the same chord plus 2 colour notes

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the E6 chord?

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

What is the easiest way to play E6 on guitar?

The easiest shape above is “Open position”. 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 D6 shape at fret 2 or a C6 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 E6 shapes?

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

How is the E6 chord written?

The chord symbol is E6, and its full name is E sixth.