E 6th

E6

Notes

E · G# · B · C#

Intervals

  • RootE (1P)
  • Major 3rdG# (3M)
  • Perfect 5thB (5P)
  • Major 6thC# (6M)

Fretboard

EBGDAE357912EG#BC#EBC#EG#BG#BC#EEG#BC#BC#EG#EG#BC#E
Open in visualizer →

Adjust labels, frets, and palette in the interactive view.

About

The E6 chord (EG♯BC♯) adds the major sixth to a major triad. The sixth is a stable, consonant addition — it does not introduce dissonance the way a 7th does — which gives 6 chords a warm, slightly vintage sound common in jazz, swing, and older pop. They can substitute for E or EMaj7 as tonic harmony when a less tense color is wanted. The C♯ is the defining extension; the 5th can be omitted. On guitar, 6-chord voicings tend to be compact and practical for comping. Compared to EMaj7, the 6 feels more grounded and less harmonically ambiguous — the 6th sits further from the root than the 7th does, so it creates no half-step tension.

Similar chords

Chords sharing two or more notes with this one, ranked by overlap.

Scales containing this chord

Scales whose notes include every chord tone. Roman numeral marks the chord root’s position in the scale; dashed badges aren’t linked yet.

Other Major 6th chords

Other E chords