This G major six chord, more commonly referred to as a 5/6 chord, is an excellent starting point for novice players. Composed of root, major third (B), perfect fifth and major sixth notes – an ideal chord to begin your studies!
On a deeper level, the independent 6 of the C strain echoes and reinforces tonic triads that suggest triadic dialect.
Root Note
The G6 chord (also referred to as G major sixth or simply G6) is a four-note chord formed from G, B, D and E arranged in sequence. This chord can be formed by adding a major sixth to a G major triad, making it commonly found in jazz music.
The g6 chord can be played in three inversions, each using the same notes from its original configuration. Inversion one features G as its bass note; B comes next; finally D joins as bass note in inversion three. All three inversions may also function as dominant seventh chords albeit with different sounds.
If you are unfamiliar with major sixth chords, it may be beneficial to read up on their structure before proceeding. To do this, click on the link below and be taken to a page which provides a table displaying note intervals for each chord quality in key of G, along with short abbreviations next to them and numbers that correspond with those displayed previously in Step One.
Your goal should be to become familiar with the notes used in this chord. A table can help with this by listing letter names for each note as well as an octave line showing all possible chord tones that could be utilized when building it. Use this line as a way of finding which note(s) to play when using this chord and take note of any flat(b) or sharp(#) accidentals which might need to be added if necessary.
This chord can be played easily on either an acoustic or electric guitar, though an easier method for the former involves open chords consisting of root, major third and perfect fifth; when played on electric, most commonly barre chords will be employed.
A G6 chord can be played in various styles of music, ranging from pop and rock to jazz music and beyond. When using this chord it should always be done so with tension; its octave lines should be highlighted whenever possible.
Major Third
The major third of a G 6 chord is an interval found both major and minor scales, covering four whole steps or two half steps and thus being the largest of musical thirds that exist. Major sixth chords are based off major triad chords with an added major sixth note that gives them a richer, jazzy sound often associated with jazz or blues music.
A G major sixth chord can be composed from its root (G), major third (B), and perfect fifth (D). This formula can also be applied to all six-note chords, though it’s useful when building melodies with multiple triad chords to form more complex melodies in harmony.
There are multiple voicings of the G-6 chord, from open and barre shapes to augmenting it with dominant seventh or dominant sus chords for an even stronger sound – particularly found in jazz and Latin music (such as Ernesto Nazareth’s Tango “Remando”). This particular version can often be heard.
This step identifies and defines sixth chord qualities, names the most prevalent ones, and notes their differences. It’s essential to remember that a 6th chord differs from its triadic equivalent in that its four notes overlap or form one chord structure.
The chord quality table shown above provides the most frequent sixth chord qualities and their abbreviated versions in brackets, along with the note interval numbers which correspond with them from the scale chart displayed earlier. To use these numbers to calculate chord notes from their numbers you may refer to the Chord Quality Calculator.
A g 6 chord can be played using the left-hand index finger, middle finger and right thumb; alternatively it may also be secured onto the bass note of the guitar’s bass string with pinky finger anchorage. A strong pinky finger on your left hand should help hold down these chords successfully.
Major Sixth
G is a major scale note that when added to the root of a chord forms a major sixth chord. A G 6 chord contains three scale degrees from the major scale (G, B and D). By adding an added sixth to a major triad, an added warmth and jazzy quality is created that is often utilized when performing jazz music.
Music theory dictates that every note within a chord has a particular note interval quality – minor, major, perfect or augmented – which could range from minor to perfect or augmented. In the case of the G6 chord, each individual note in it has an augmented sixth quality which encompasses nine half steps or four whole steps and one half step.
To create the G major sixth chord, add a major sixth by placing your index finger on the second fret of the bottom C string and your ring finger on the second fret of the bottom A string, placing both your index and ring fingers at their respective two-fret positions on both strings – this forms a power chord with root note G, major third B, and perfect fifth D – with the major sixth providing its signature warm sound often heard in jazz and Western swing music.
G major 6th chord can also be played using various voicings, some of which are movable voicings that omit the fifth note and are popularly found in jazz and western swing music.
Addition of an E to a G major sixth chord can provide another moveable variation; this style can often be found in jazz music as well as some boogie-woogie patterns.
G major sixth chords can be played in any key, though G major is by far the most commonly played key. You can adapt it for other keys by switching out root note for one from its respective major scale – for instance if playing F major you may want to swap G for A instead – this requires knowing all the notes of F major scale!
Minor Third
A minor third, which lies between G and B in C key, creates a sorrowful sound in chords.
The G6 chord is a four-note chord composed of the notes G, B, and D and is most frequently found in boogie-woogie music, often played over an accompaniment bass note of D. It is also known as G major sixth (Gmaj6); part of an added sixth chord family; playing it is slightly more challenging due to adding in another note with its fingerings; yet still quite accessible once familiarity sets in.
Omitting the fifth note will create a G6(no 5th) chord – which is commonly found in rock music – making G6 a dominant sixth chord and giving rise to its use as a dominant sixth chord! Jim Croce even used this chord when creating his song!
This chord comes in multiple voicings, each offering their own distinctive sound. For instance, open voicing of this chord can often be found in blues shuffle riffs while barre voicings are popular with jazz pianists. These all share a common upper structure making switching between them easy in order to alter its sound.
If you’re learning a new chord, it is essential that you familiarise yourself with its notes and fingerings in order to prevent making errors and ensure proper hand placement when playing it. Our chord charts and guitar fretboard references can help.
These chord charts are an invaluable resource for guitarists, as they contain fingering instructions for all chords as well as suggested positions to use them in. Our online chords chart is also available through GtrLib Chords app which can be downloaded for free from either Apple App Store or Google Play.
Explore chord qualities and their associated scales and modes by visiting our chord scales and modes pages. In addition, our chord pages contain articles detailing how each chord works within your music as well as articles providing more detail regarding its structure and function.