Chord · E Major 6th
E6 Chord
E6 is E, G#, B and C# — sweet, jazzy alternative to a major triad.
E6 on every instrument
The same 4 notes, 6 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.
What E6 is made of
E6 (E sixth) is built from the notes E, G#, B, C#, with the interval pattern 1, 3, 5, 6.
Stack 1, 3, 5 and 6 on a root of E and you get E, G#, B and C#. That interval recipe is what makes the chord a sixth chord — move the same shape to another root and the character travels with it, which is why C6 sounds like a transposed E6.
Major 6th: Sweet, jazzy alternative to a major triad.
Spelling: the notes above are written the way a score would write them, not simplified to the nearest piano key. That is why this chord is spelled with G♯ rather than its enharmonic equivalent.
Keys that contain E6
All 4 notes sit inside the scale of 8 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.
Other chords on E
Same root, different colour.
The same sixth shape, moved
The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.
Questions people ask about E6
- What notes are in the E6 chord?
- E6 is made of E, G#, B and C# — the 1, 3, 5 and 6 degrees of a sixth chord built on E.
- What keys use the E6 chord?
- Every note of E6 belongs to 8 keys: A Major (V), E Major (I), B Major (IV), Cb Major (IV), F# Minor (VII), C# Minor (III), G# Minor (VI), Ab Minor (VI). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
- How do you play E6 on guitar and piano?
- This page shows E6 on guitar, piano, ukulele, bass, mandolin and banjo — 10 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
Learn the theory behind it
Why E6 behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.