C6 Piano Chord

C6 is the C sixth chord. It has four notes: C, E, G and A. All four are white keys: an ordinary C major chord with the A added on top, which is the sound old pop and jazz records like to end on.

1C2E3G5AC4C5

C at the bottom, then E, G and A. Right hand 1-2-3-5, left hand 5-3-2-1. Every key is white, and the top two notes are a whole step apart.

How to play C6 on piano, step by step

  1. Start on middle C. That is the lowest note of the chord.
  2. Thumb (1): C
  3. Index finger (2): E
  4. Middle finger (3): G
  5. Little finger (5): A
  6. Press them together with the right hand. The left hand plays the same notes with fingers 5, 3, 2, 1 an octave lower, or just C on its own as a bass note.

It is the plain C chord plus one note: keep thumb, index and middle on C, E and G, and let the little finger take the A, a whole step above the G. The top two fingers sit close while the rest of the hand stays spread.

Inversions of C6

The same 4 notes with a different one at the bottom. All of them are C6; which you play depends on what the hand is coming from. Tap any card to hear it.

First inversionE G A C
C6 piano chord diagram, first inversion, E G A C
Lighter and more compact than root position. With the third in the bass it tips forward, which suits the middle of a phrase more than the end of one.
Second inversionG A C E
C6 piano chord diagram, second inversion, G A C E
Open and unhurried. The whole step between G and A at the very bottom gives this voicing a slightly cloudy start that clears as the chord rises.
Third inversionA C E G
C6 piano chord diagram, third inversion, A C E G
The ambiguous one. With A underneath, the ear hears A minor seventh as readily as C6, so choose it when that shadow suits the music and avoid it when the bass has to say C.

If it sounds wrong

The top note landed on B
One white key too far. The sixth is A, two keys above the G. Landing on B turns the chord into Cmaj7, which is a different, dreamier chord.
It sounds like A minor
That happens when A ends up at the bottom instead of the top. The same four notes with A lowest are Am7. Keep C as the lowest note, or put a low C in the left hand.
The A is quieter than the rest
The colour note is the one that must speak. Lean the hand slightly toward the little finger so its key gets real weight rather than a press from a stretched finger.

What makes it a C6

C · E · G · A 1 3 5 6

C6 is a C major triad, C, E and G, with an A added: the sixth, a whole step above the fifth. Nothing is taken away, so the chord still works anywhere a plain C works, only rounder and a little old fashioned.

Those same four notes read from A spell Am7. C6 and Am7 are one set of keys with two names, and the lowest note decides which chord the ear hears. That is why the third inversion of C6, with A at the bottom, sounds so close to A minor: note for note, it is.

C6 vs Cmaj7

Both decorate a C major triad with one extra white key. C6 adds A, a whole step above the G; Cmaj7 adds B, a half step below the top C. The sixth sounds settled and nostalgic, the seventh soft and dreamy.

The practical test: hold C, E and G and swap the top note between A and B. A is the chord that could end a song in 1955; B is the one that could open a film. Neither pushes anywhere, but they sit differently.

Questions about C6

Is C6 the same as Am7?

They contain the same four notes: C, E, G and A. The name follows the bass. With C lowest it is C6, with A lowest it is Am7, and on a chart the two chords do different jobs.

What fingers do you use for C6?

Right hand: thumb on C, index on E, middle on G, little finger on A, which is 1, 2, 3, 5. The left hand plays the same notes with 5, 3, 2, 1.

What is the difference between C6 and C7?

The added note. C6 adds A, a colour note with no pull. C7 adds B flat, which makes the chord lean hard toward F. C6 decorates; C7 moves.

When would I use C6?

As a final chord. Ending on C6 instead of plain C is the classic jazz and doo-wop close, and it also replaces C nicely under a melody note of A.

Is C6 hard to play?

No. Four white keys under a still hand, nothing wider than a sixth. If you can play C major, adding the little finger on A is a small step.

Chords to learn next

Other C chords