C major sixth

C6

Also written Cmaj6 · CM6 · Cadd6

NotesC · E · G · A
Formula1 · 3 · 5 · 6
C1E3G5A6
Root position

A tonic where the 6th does the 7th's job — sweeter than Cmaj7, the sound of a swing-era ending. C6 has exactly the notes of Am7; which one it is depends on the bass.

How pianists voice C6

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

C1E3A6

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

E3G5A6D9

3 · 5 · 6 · 9 — no root: the bass player has it. The left-hand voicing of modern jazz piano. Without C underneath, the same keys read as Em11 — the bass turns them into C6.

Rootless B From the 6th

A6D9E3G5

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 C underneath, the same keys read as A7sus4 — the bass turns them into C6.

Drop 2 Two hands

G5C1E3A6

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

C6 inversions

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

Root position C6

C1E3G5A6

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

1st inversion C6/E

E3G5A6C1

E (the 3) in the bass: 3 · 5 · 6 · 1.

2nd inversion C6/G

G5A6C1E3

G (the 5) in the bass: 5 · 6 · 1 · 3.

3rd inversion C6/A

A6C1E3G5

A (the 6) in the bass: 6 · 1 · 3 · 5.

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