C♯6 chord on piano
C♯6 (C sharp major 6th) is a major 6th chord built on C♯. It has 4 notes, C♯, E♯, G♯ and A♯, and its formula is 1 3 5 6.
Notes and intervals of C♯6
From the root upwards, C♯6 contains root (C♯), major 3rd (E♯), perfect 5th (G♯) and major 6th (A♯). 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 C♯ you can build the chord on any note.
| Degree | Interval | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | root | C♯ |
| 3 | major 3rd | E♯ |
| 5 | perfect 5th | G♯ |
| 6 | major 6th | A♯ |
How to play C♯6 on piano
Find C♯ and play C♯, E♯, G♯ and A♯ together. With the right hand, a common fingering is 1-2-3-5. With the left hand, reverse it (5-3-2-1). Keep your wrist level and let the fingers curve, so all 4 keys go down at the same time.
Inversions of C♯6
An inversion keeps the same notes but puts another one in the bass. C♯6 has 3 inversions besides root position: 1st inversion (E♯ G♯ A♯ C♯), 2nd inversion (G♯ A♯ C♯ E♯) and 3rd inversion (A♯ C♯ E♯ G♯). Inversions let you move between chords with tiny hand movements, which is how pianists make progressions sound smooth.
Which keys use C♯6?
C♯6 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 C♯6
To improvise over C♯6, start with C sharp major scale. All of these scales contain every note of the chord: C sharp major scale, C sharp major pentatonic scale, C sharp Lydian mode and C sharp 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.
In root position the 5 and 6 sit side by side; if that sounds cluttered, play root and fifth in the left hand, 3, 6 and octave in the right. Keep the root in the bass: with the sixth in the bass, a 6 chord is heard as an inversion of a m7 chord. Add the 9 for a modern 6/9 tonic.
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 C♯6 chord?
C♯6 (C sharp major 6th) contains C♯, E♯, G♯ and A♯. In intervals: root (C♯), major 3rd (E♯), perfect 5th (G♯) and major 6th (A♯).
How do you play C♯6 on piano?
Play C♯, E♯, G♯ and A♯ together with the right-hand fingering 1-2-3-5. You can also play it in 3 inversions, shown on this page.
What scale goes with C♯6?
C sharp major scale fits C♯6 best. Other scales that contain all its notes: C sharp major pentatonic scale, C sharp Lydian mode and C sharp Mixolydian mode.
What key is C♯6 in?
C♯6 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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