A major sixth

A6

Also written Amaj6 · AM6 · Aadd6

NotesA · C♯ · E · F♯
Formula1 · 3 · 5 · 6
A1E5C♯3F♯6
Root position

A tonic where the 6th does the 7th's job — sweeter than Amaj7, the sound of a swing-era ending. A6 has exactly the notes of F♯m7; which one it is depends on the bass.

How pianists voice A6

Nobody plays a jazz chord in root position. These are the shapes that actually get played — the same ones Cadenza shows when you play the chord.

Shell Left hand

A1C♯3F♯6

1 · 3 · 6 — root, 3rd and 6th: the three notes that say what the chord is. Left hand, low; everything else is colour.

Rootless A From the 3rd

E5B9C♯3F♯6

3 · 5 · 6 · 9 — no root: the bass player has it. The left-hand voicing of modern jazz piano. Without A underneath, the same keys read as C♯m11 — the bass turns them into A6.

Rootless B From the 6th

B9E5F♯6C♯3

6 · 9 · 3 · 5 — the other half of the pair. A and B alternate through a ii–V–I so the hand barely moves. Without A underneath, the same keys read as F♯7sus4 — the bass turns them into A6.

Drop 2 Two hands

E5A1C♯3F♯6

5 · 1 · 3 · 6 — close position with the second voice from the top dropped an octave: wider, warmer, the standard for chord melody.

A6 inversions

The same 4 notes with a different one in the bass. Each inversion is written as a slash chord.

Root position A6

A1E5C♯3F♯6

Root at the bottom, stacked in 3rds: 1 · 3 · 5 · 6.

1st inversion A6/C♯

E5A1C♯3F♯6

C♯ (the 3) in the bass: 3 · 5 · 6 · 1.

2nd inversion A6/E

E5A1F♯6C♯3

E (the 5) in the bass: 5 · 6 · 1 · 3.

3rd inversion A6/F♯

A1E5F♯6C♯3

F♯ (the 6) in the bass: 6 · 1 · 3 · 5.

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