E major sixth

E6

Also written Emaj6 · EM6 · Eadd6

NotesE · G♯ · B · C♯
Formula1 · 3 · 5 · 6
E1B5G♯3C♯6
Root position

A tonic where the 6th does the 7th's job — sweeter than Emaj7, the sound of a swing-era ending. E6 has exactly the notes of C♯m7; which one it is depends on the bass.

How pianists voice E6

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

E1G♯3C♯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

B5G♯3C♯6F♯9

3 · 5 · 6 · 9 — no root: the bass player has it. The left-hand voicing of modern jazz piano. Without E underneath, the same keys read as G♯m11 — the bass turns them into E6.

Rootless B From the 6th

B5C♯6F♯9G♯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 E underneath, the same keys read as D♭7sus4 — the bass turns them into E6.

Drop 2 Two hands

B5E1G♯3C♯6

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

E6 inversions

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

Root position E6

E1B5G♯3C♯6

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

1st inversion E6/G♯

B5E1G♯3C♯6

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

2nd inversion E6/B

B5E1C♯6G♯3

B (the 5) in the bass: 5 · 6 · 1 · 3.

3rd inversion E6/C♯

E1B5C♯6G♯3

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

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