G6 chords are an easy and effective way to add major 6ths into your guitar chord vocabulary, offering great sounding major 6th chords that don’t require much practice to master.
Let’s begin with an open G6 chord voicing; this one requires only two fingers!
To create this G6 chord, place your middle finger at the third fret of A string and press your middle finger onto it.
1. G Major
G major sixth chords are simple and enjoyable to play, and require minimal finger stretching for best results. Similar to basic G chords, with the addition of D on fifth fret. This adds a unique tone without needing too much additional finger stretching from you as an instrument player.
G major is an ideal key signature for beginners, serving as the starting point for both classic Western music and popular songs alike. Its popularity lies primarily in its zero flats and one sharp note (F sharp). As a result, G major offers excellent ergonomics for both piano and guitar playing – two instruments that commonly make chords in Western music.
2. G Minor
G minor is an excellent key for exploring modal music and chords. The natural minor scale features a raised seventh note which adds tension to your melodies and harmonies. Furthermore, this key offers many movable shapes and chords which sound beautiful when played in minor keys.
This voicing can be slightly harder to play due to having to simultaneously bar both 4th and 6th strings, yet is still manageable if you angle your hand slightly to mutes the open strings.
G6 triad consists of the first three notes of G major scale (G, B and D). This chord contains intervals 1-6 with five possible voicings/fret configurations. Use a metronome to perfect fingering your G6 chord cleanly – starting slowly is recommended to gradually build speed over time.
3. G Major I
This G major sixth chord contains its root note of G and an E perfect fifth note; unlike seventh chords, which typically include a dominant 7th note as their fifth note, sixth chords don’t feature this trait and can also make playing easier because you won’t need to barricade the third string to form them.
This thicker variation of our first power chord shape requires you to bar both second and fourth strings – which can be difficult for some players. If this is the case for you, angle your hand slightly in order to mute open strings.
This G major sixth chord voicing sits a bit higher on the fretboard, which makes it sound less bassy. You will need to angle your hand slightly if you wish to mute fifth string, however. Overall this voicing sounds fantastic over its predecessors – give it a try today!
4. G Major II
G6 chords are great because they’re easy to play and versatile – you can use either strumming or fingerpicking, and use your thumb mute strings when playing fingerstyle.
This version incorporates an additional D note in the fifth fret to achieve a deeper bass tone. While this might add to your playing with other guitarists, adding variation and fullness can provide your sound with something fresh.
Folk guitarists such as Cat Stevens often utilize this voicing when switching from G to C chord. It provides an easy and non-pressured transition; just use your thumb to muffle an open string as needed. Furthermore, this voicing works over any of the partial G6 chords we’ve explored so far.
5. G Major III
G Major III is an extension of an open G chord with an added sixth interval. A 6th chord can simply be considered another triad with one additional note added; standard G key triads include intervals 1, 3, and 5.
Although this voicing won’t replace a bassist, it will add depth to your sound by including the lower E string. While it might require stretching your fingers a bit and moving them in order to mute both 5th string notes simultaneously, it’s well worth exploring this idea!
Acoustic guitars are ideal for creating this chord as their design allows players to easily block off fifth and sixth strings while still accessing low E. This power chord shape can often be found in blues shuffle riffs.
6. G Major IV
G Major IV (also referred to as Gmaj6) combines root (G), minor third (B), perfect fifth (D), and major sixth note (E). Do not mistake this chord for its more powerful G6 power chord that employs G B D E notes instead.
This version adds a D to the top of the chord, making it slightly more balanced and sounding great with distortion. To avoid skipping strings when playing this voicing, angle your hand slightly to mutes the 5th string when using this technique or use your thumb as another option – just be wary not to skip an open E string (this would cause unbalance in your chord!). This G6 chord voicing is widely popular as it is simple and versatile!
7. G Major V
G Major V, commonly referred to by its abbreviated form vi, is the subtonic triad in G major scale that contains G, B and C notes. To play it successfully you will need to bar both strings simultaneously; therefore fingerstyle guitar players may want to consider forgoing this chord altogether.
This chord features an interval structure of 1, 3, 5, 6; this indicates it resembles the standard G major triad but with one extra sixth note added. Sixth chords usually generate less tension than seventh chords and can often be used to transition towards more dominant chords.
Make this chord the foundation for your next progression by adding bass notes in the left hand to give your progression some punch and changing its inversions for various sounds.
8. G Major VI
An E note added to a G major chord makes for a powerful sounding power chord, eliminating its turgidity and better managing distortion, making it an excellent option for blues riffs or any style which requires gritty tones.
To achieve this voicing, place your index finger on the fifth fret, your middle finger on the seventh string, and your ring finger on the first string. You may wish to angle your thumb to mutes the high B and A strings if desired. While this version of chord does not replace bassists entirely, it does add variation and fullness to your tone; best played strumming but can also be picked. It is an accessible way for beginners to play chords.
9. G Major VII
G major seventh chord, also referred to as Gmaj7, consists of its root (G), major third (B), and perfect fifth (D). It forms a four-note triad that fits nicely onto any fretboard.
This version of G major requires you to barre only the fourth and fifth strings, making it more challenging than its six string counterpart. However, it is an effective way of expanding chord possibilities without needing to affix all six barres at once.
Some theorists argue that an accurate G major seventh should contain a ninth, but guitarists tend to overlook this detail when an interesting voicing presents itself. This one makes an ideal option for blues shuffle chord progression and can be played either with D or A bass notes.
10. G Major VIII
Addition of the sixth interval creates this G6 chord, giving it less bass but similar characteristics as Version 3. Additionally, this easy voicing requires no string skipping – perfect for blues shuffle rhythm.
This chord is created using notes from the G major scale, specifically its first, third and fifth notes. To indicate it as a half-diminished seventh chord – commonly referred to as diminished 7th – an E string is played open as part of this voicing which may prove difficult at first for beginners but will become much simpler with practice. When picking this chord it helps if your hand angled slightly away from picking this note so as to mute its sound when picking this chord.