B♭6 chord
B♭ major sixth. The major sixth chord: a major triad with the sixth added and no seventh. It sounds bright and sweet, and it is a common tonic colour in jazz.
Click a note to hear it
- Notes
- B♭ D F G
- Formula
- 1 3 5 6
- Intervals
- P1 M3 P5 M6
- Also written
- B♭maj6
Notes in B♭6
B♭6 is spelled B♭ D F G: four notes stacked from the root B♭.
| Note | Interval above B♭ | Role | Formula |
|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | root | 1 | |
| M3 | third | 3 | |
| P5 | fifth | 5 | |
| M6 | thirteenth | 6 |
Inversions
Putting a different chord tone in the bass gives each inversion. The chord is the same; the bass note changes how it sounds and what it can lead to.
| Position | Notes, low to high | Symbol | Hear it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Root position | B♭ D F G | B♭6 | |
| First inversion | D F G B♭ | B♭6/D | |
| Second inversion | F G B♭ D | B♭6/F | |
| Third inversion | G B♭ D F | B♭6/G |
On the piano
The root position voicing, with every chord tone lit in its own colour. Click a key to hear it.
On the guitar
B♭6 in standard tuning. The barre shapes below slide anywhere on the neck, so the same fingers give you every root. Strings run from the lowest (left) to the highest (right); X means do not play that string.
E-shape barre at fret 6
A-shape barre at fret 1
What it sounds like
C6 is C, E, G and A: a major triad with the sixth, nine semitones above the root, added. The sixth sits a whole step above the fifth, so the top of the chord sounds sweet and open. Without a seventh, the chord keeps the stable sound of the triad with a lighter colour. It has no tendency tone pulling it onward, so the tension stays low. The chord sounds settled and bright, and it can seem dated or cheerful, depending on the style and voicing.
How it is used
The major sixth chord is most often the tonic, I6, in major keys, and the subdominant, IV6. Swing, big-band and jazz arrangements use it as a common final chord, and in pop it offers a bright alternative to the plain triad. In minor keys it appears as a borrowed chord from the parallel major. The chord contains no seventh, so it has no tendency to resolve, and it can move to IV, which shares two of its notes.
How it is built
The major sixth chord is a root with a major third, a perfect fifth and a major sixth, 0, 4, 7 and 9 semitones above the root. Common symbols are C6, CM6 and Cmaj6. Its notes are the same as Am7, which is A, C, E and G, so the bass decides which name a writer uses. The first inversion is C6/E, with E in the bass, and the second is C6/G, with G at the bottom.
Which keys contain B♭6
B♭6 is not built from any one major or minor key’s own notes. It appears through borrowing, alteration or chromatic voice leading, which is part of why it sounds coloured.
Scales that fit B♭6
Scales that contain every note of the chord, so they can be played over it:
- C natural minor
- C Dorian
- C Mixolydian
- D natural minor
- D harmonic minor
- D Phrygian
- D Locrian
- E♭ major
- E♭ Lydian
- E Locrian
- F major
- F melodic minor
- F Dorian
- F Mixolydian
Other B♭ chords
- B♭
- B♭m
- B♭dim
- B♭aug
- B♭sus2
- B♭sus4
- B♭5
- B♭m6
- B♭7
- B♭maj7
- B♭m7
- B♭m7♭5
- B♭dim7
- B♭m(maj7)
- B♭7♯5
- B♭7sus4
- B♭add9
- B♭9
- B♭maj9
- B♭m9
- B♭7♭9
- B♭7♯9
- B♭13
How to practise it
Play C6 and Am7 one after the other with the same hand position. The four notes are the same, so the only change is the bass, which moves from C to A. Then play C6 as a final chord after I, IV and V in C, F and G, and compare it with a plain C major triad at the same point. The added A should sound as a bright top note.
Further reading
- Chord Symbols Explained: Major, Minor, Seventh and Slash ChordsHarmony · 8 min
- Jazz Chord Voicings: Shell and Rootless Voicings ExplainedJazz & Popular Harmony · 7 min
- Chord Extensions Explained: Ninths, Elevenths and ThirteenthsJazz & Popular Harmony · 7 min
Questions
What notes are in a B♭6 chord?
B♭6 contains B♭, D, F, G. That is the root, third, fifth, thirteenth of the chord.
How do you spell B♭ major sixth?
Stack the intervals P1, M3, P5, M6 above B♭: B♭, D, F, G.
What other symbols mean B♭6?
Lead sheets also write it B♭maj6. They are the same chord.
What is the difference between C6 and C major?
C major is C, E and G. C6 adds A, the sixth above the root. The added note makes the chord brighter and sweeter, but it adds no tension. C6 has no seventh, so it keeps the stability of the triad.
What is the difference between C6 and Am7?
C6 is C, E, G and A. Am7 is A, C, E and G. Both contain the same four notes, so they sound the same when played as a block. The difference lies in the bass and the harmonic meaning: C6 is heard as a C chord, and Am7 as an A chord. Players read the bass to decide.
Is C6 a dominant chord?
No. A dominant chord has a major third and a minor seventh, such as C7 with its B♭. C6 has the sixth, A, where a dominant seventh would have B♭. It is a tonic-type colour, so it does not pull toward F as C7 does.