D major sixth

D6

Also written Dmaj6 · DM6 · Dadd6

NotesD · F♯ · A · B
Formula1 · 3 · 5 · 6
D1A5B6F♯3
Root position

A tonic where the 6th does the 7th's job — sweeter than Dmaj7, the sound of a swing-era ending. D6 has exactly the notes of Bm7; which one it is depends on the bass.

How pianists voice D6

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

D1B6F♯3

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

A5B6E9F♯3

3 · 5 · 6 · 9 — no root: the bass player has it. The left-hand voicing of modern jazz piano. Without D underneath, the same keys read as F♯m11 — the bass turns them into D6.

Rootless B From the 6th

B6E9A5F♯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 D underneath, the same keys read as B7sus4 — the bass turns them into D6.

Drop 2 Two hands

A5D1B6F♯3

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

D6 inversions

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

Root position D6

D1A5B6F♯3

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

1st inversion D6/F♯

A5B6D1F♯3

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

2nd inversion D6/A

A5B6D1F♯3

A (the 5) in the bass: 5 · 6 · 1 · 3.

3rd inversion D6/B

B6D1A5F♯3

B (the 6) in the bass: 6 · 1 · 3 · 5.

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