A6 chord on guitar
A6 (A major 6th) is a major 6th chord built on A. It has 4 notes, A, C♯, E and F♯, and its formula is 1 3 5 6.
Notes and intervals of A6
From the root upwards, A6 contains root (A), major 3rd (C♯), perfect 5th (E) and major 6th (F♯). Those intervals give the chord its colour: the formula 1 3 5 6 works the same way in every key, so once you know it for A you can build the chord on any note.
| Degree | Interval | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | root | A |
| 3 | major 3rd | C♯ |
| 5 | perfect 5th | E |
| 6 | major 6th | F♯ |
How to play A6 on guitar
The first shape above reads x 0 2 2 2 2 from the low E string to the high E string (x means you do not play that string, 0 is an open string). The lowest note you play is A. The other diagrams show the same chord higher up the neck: pick the one closest to the chords before and after it in your song.
Let the open strings ring: strum slowly once and check that every note sounds clean before you speed up.
Which keys use A6?
A6 is not built from the notes of a single major key, so it usually appears as a colour chord: a borrowed chord, a passing chord or a suspension that resolves to the next chord.
Scales to play over A6
To improvise over A6, start with A major scale. All of these scales contain every note of the chord: A major scale, A major pentatonic scale, A Lydian mode and A Mixolydian mode. Aim for the chord notes on strong beats and use the other notes to move between them.
About major 6th chords
A major triad with a major sixth added: 1 3 5 6. Sweet, warm and a little nostalgic, the 6 chord is stable and needs no resolution. It sounds older and more 'swing' than a maj7, which is why it was the standard tonic chord of 1930s and 1940s jazz. For example C6: C E G A.
Use it on I and IV as a tonic colour: swing, gypsy jazz, rockabilly, early rock and roll and bossa nova often end songs on a 6. The classic boogie riff moves 5, 6, ♭7, 6 over each chord of a blues. In pop, a I6 replaces Imaj7 when the major seventh sounds too dreamy.
Open G6 (320000), C6 (x32210) and A6 (x02222) are good starters. Movable four-note shapes have the root on the 6th string (with the 5th string muted) or on the 5th string. Gypsy jazz players favour compact shapes on the middle strings and often turn them into 6/9 chords by adding the 9.
6 versus m7: C6 and Am7 contain the same notes, and only the bass and context decide. 6 versus 13: a 13 chord contains a ♭7, a 6 chord does not. And do not mix up chord symbols with classical figured bass, where '6' means first inversion, not an added sixth.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the A6 chord?
A6 (A major 6th) contains A, C♯, E and F♯. In intervals: root (A), major 3rd (C♯), perfect 5th (E) and major 6th (F♯).
How do you play A6 on guitar?
The easiest shape is x 0 2 2 2 2, from the low E string to the high E string. This page shows 3 positions with finger numbers.
What scale goes with A6?
A major scale fits A6 best. Other scales that contain all its notes: A major pentatonic scale, A Lydian mode and A Mixolydian mode.
What key is A6 in?
A6 does not belong to a single major key. It is used as a colour chord that borrows notes from outside the key.
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