Major Chords – 6
Major 6 Chord
The major 6 chord is simply the major chord with the 6th note of the major scale added.
Let’s use the C major chord to show this:
C Major
C Major 6
Major 6 Chord v 'Relative' Minor 7 Chord
Every major scale has a relative minor scale.
The diagram below shows that the A minor scale is the relative minor scale of the C major scale and both scales contain the same notes:
The major 6 chord and relative minor 7 chord contain the same notes
This rule applies to all other major 6 chords for example:
[G major 6 & E minor 7], [D major 6 & B minor 7], [E major 6 & C# minor 7] etc..
Let’s use the C major 6 chord and the A minor 7 chord to show this:
C Major 6
A Minor 7
Inversions:
An inversion is simply a way of identifying when the notes of a chord have been ‘inverted’ i.e. when the root (1st) note of the chord is not in the lowest (bass) position.
The C major 6 chord consists of 4 notes, C, E, G, A (1st–3rd–5th–6th).
When the lowest note of the chord is C (1st) then it is in the ‘root position‘.
When the note E (3rd) is in the lowest position then the chord is known as a ‘1st inversion‘.
When the note G (5th) is in the lowest position then the chord is known as a ‘2nd inversion‘.
When the note A (6th) is in the lowest position then the chord is known as a ‘3rd inversion‘.
The inversion is determined only by the note in the lowest (bass) position, it does not matter what order the other notes are in.
You can use MusicWheels™ to discover all the other major 6 chords.
Guitar Diagrams
Major 6 Chords - CAGED - Across the Fretboard
The diagrams below show the generic CAGED shapes for major 6 chords.
The red note is the root note of the chord, for example:
– if you wish to play the A major chord then the red root note will be the note of A
– if you wish to play the D major chord then the red root note will be the note of D and so on.
Keyboard Diagrams
