B6 Ukulele Chord

B6 is the B sixth chord. It has four notes: B, D sharp, F sharp and G sharp. The main shape packs four fingers into the first three frets with the sixth on the g string, and unlike plain B it needs no barre.

Four fingers in the first three frets: sixth on the g string at the 1st, root on the A string at the 2nd. No barre.

How to play B6 on ukulele, step by step

Index finger: 1st fret, G string
Middle finger: 2nd fret, E string
Ring finger: 2nd fret, A string
Pinky finger: 3rd fret, C string
Strum all four strings.

Plain B is a barre chord on ukulele; its sixth is not. If a song in B lets the sixth stand in for the plain major at the end of a phrase, this shape is the easier way home.

More ways to play B6

There are 3 common B6 shapes: the standard one at the top of the page, plus these further up the neck. You only ever need one. Tap any card to hear it.

B6 ukulele chord diagram, barre at fret 4, played 4646 — Barre at fret 4

B6 ukulele chord diagram, frets 7 to 9, played 8879 — Frets 7 to 9

If it sounds muddy or buzzy

The fingers crowd each other: Four fingertips in three frets is a tight house. Stagger them so each comes down on its tip, and keep the knuckles high so no finger leans on a neighbour.
The C string note is weak: The pinky at the 3rd fret carries the third, the note that makes the chord major. Press with the very tip and sound it alone before strumming.
It buzzes near the nut: The first frets are the stiffest. Land each finger just behind its fret wire rather than in the middle of the space.

What makes it a B6

B · D♯ · F♯ · G♯ 1 3 5 6

B6 is a B major triad (B, D sharp, F sharp) with a sixth added: the G sharp, nine half steps above the root. Nothing is taken away, so the chord still sounds like B, just rounder and more settled.

The same four notes read from G sharp spell G#m7. A ukulele has no bass string to break the tie, so the surrounding chords decide which name the ear hears. One grip, both charts.

B6 vs Bmaj7

B6 adds a G sharp to the B triad; Bmaj7 adds an A sharp. The sixth sits a whole step below the root and rests; the major seventh sits a half step below and floats.

B is a guitar key more than a ukulele key, so both chords tend to appear when a song is transposed or a chart is shared. Of the two, the sixth is the one that ends a phrase.

B6 chord questions

Is B6 the same as G#m7?

The four notes are the same: B, D sharp, F sharp and G sharp. With no bass note on a ukulele, the music around the chord decides which name fits.

Is B6 easier than B?

Yes. Plain B needs a barre; B6 is four separate fingertips in the first three frets. It is busy but barre free.

What is the difference between B6 and B7?

B6 adds a G sharp and rests; B7 adds an A and pushes toward E. Endings against motion.

Can I move this shape?

Yes. It has no open strings, so sliding it up one fret gives C6 in the same grip, though C6 also has an easier home on the open strings.