C6

C6 is C, E, G and A, a major sixth. The shape this page opens on is written x32210, lowest string first.

Also written Cmaj6, CM6 or C major 6. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 10 common shapes for C6 on the guitar, and 36 derived voicings in 4 families.

In which keys. Every note of C6 belongs to C major (the I), D minor (the ♭VII), E minor (the ♭VI), F major (the V), G major (the IV) and A minor (the ♭III).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: x32210, x35555, x75555, 877555, 575585, 8x798x, 8-x-10-9-10-8, 8-10-x-9-10-8, x-x-10-12-10-12, x-15-14-14-13-x.

Shell. Root, third and seventh: the guide tones fix the quality, so the fifth is dropped. That is what leaves a string free, so pick a tension to put on top. C6 has x322xx, 877xxx, x-15-14-14-x-x, x3x25x, 8x79xx.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. C6 has x0201x, xx2213, 3322xx, xx5555, 5755xx, xx7988, x-10-10-9-10-x, x-x-10-12-10-12.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. C6 has 3x221x, x0x010, x3x253, x7x585, 5x555x, 8x798x, x-10-x-9-10-8, 12-x-10-12-10-x.

Open string. An open string left ringing against a fretted grip. Because it costs no finger, it sounds a note the closed shape has none left for -- a tension on top, or a pedal root underneath. Either a familiar grip with open strings added, or a shape so sparse the open strings carry the chord. These belong to their key rather than to a shape, so D, A, G and E have many and Eb a handful. C6 has 030253, 00007x, x00070, 0x0075, 5x0070, 00403x.

Tensions. A shell of C6, root, third and seventh, leaves a string free, and the tones that belong over it are the 9 (D) and the #11 (F#).

The common shapes and the derived voicings come from different places, and both are explained in where the chords and the theory come from.