G6

G6 is G, B, D and E, a major sixth. The shape this page opens on is written 320000, lowest string first.

Also written Gmaj6, GM6 or G major 6. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 10 common shapes for G6 on the guitar, and 36 derived voicings in 4 families.

In which keys. Every note of G6 belongs to C major (the V), D major (the IV), E minor (the ♭III), G major (the I), A minor (the ♭VII) and B minor (the ♭VI).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: 320000, 3x243x, 3x5453, 35x453, xx5757, x-10-9-9-8-x, x-10-12-12-12-12, x-14-12-12-12-12, 15-14-14-12-12-12, 12-14-12-12-15-12.

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. G6 has 322xxx, x-10-9-9-x-x, 15-14-14-x-x-x, 3x24xx, x-10-x-9-12-x.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. G6 has 0200xx, xx2433, x2203x, x5545x, xx5757, 7757xx, x7978x, x-x-9-9-8-10.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. G6 has x2x030, 3x243x, x5x453, 7x575x, x7x787, 10-x-9-9-8-x, x-10-x-9-12-10, x-14-x-12-15-12.

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. G6 has 002433, 040005, 00060x, 340000, 3x0200, 02002x.

Tensions. A shell of G6, root, third and seventh, leaves a string free, and the tones that belong over it are the 9 (A) and the #11 (C#).

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