E6 Ukulele Chord

E6 is the E sixth chord. It has four notes: E, G sharp, B and C sharp. The main shape sits in the first two frets with the E string open, three fingers and no barre, which makes it far friendlier than the famously hard plain E.

Index and middle at the 1st fret of the g and C strings, ring at the 2nd fret of the A string, E string open. No barre.

How to play E6 on ukulele, step by step

Index finger: 1st fret, G string
Middle finger: 1st fret, C string
Ring finger: 2nd fret, A string
Leave the E string open. Strum all four strings.

Plain E, 4442, is the chord ukulele players complain about. Its sixth is nothing like it: three fingertips near the nut and an open string. If a song lets you substitute E6 for E, your fretting hand will thank you.

More ways to play E6

There are 3 common E6 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.

E6 ukulele chord diagram, frets 6 to 8, played 6877 — Frets 6 to 8

E6 ukulele chord diagram, barre at fret 9, played 9 11 9 11 — Barre at fret 9

If it sounds muddy or buzzy

The open E string is dull: The middle finger on the C string is drooping onto it. Arch the fingers so each lands on its tip and the E string rings clear.
The 1st fret notes buzz: The nut end of the neck is the stiffest. Put the index and middle right behind the fret wire and press with the very tips.
It sounds like E7: E7 is 1202: the same corner of the neck with the C string open. In E6 the C string is fretted at the 1st fret; check that finger is down.

What makes it an E6

E · G♯ · B · C♯ 1 3 5 6

E6 is an E major triad (E, G sharp, B) with a sixth added: the C sharp, nine half steps above the root. Nothing is taken away, so the chord still sounds like E, just rounder and softer at the edges.

The same four notes read from C sharp spell C#m7. There is no bass string on a ukulele to choose between the names, so the surrounding music does. One shape answers both charts.

E6 vs Emaj7

E6 adds a C sharp to the E triad; Emaj7 adds a D sharp. The sixth sits a whole step below the root and rests; the major seventh sits a half step below and floats.

The practical difference on a ukulele is bigger than usual: E6 is a genuinely easy shape while plain E and Emaj7 both ask more of the hand. When a song in E ends, E6 is both the softer choice and the simpler one.

E6 chord questions

Is E6 easier than E?

Much. Plain E is the shape players dread: three fingers bunched at the 4th fret. E6 is three fingertips in the first two frets with an open string, and it can often stand in for E at the end of a phrase.

Is E6 the same as C#m7?

The four notes are the same: E, G sharp, B and C sharp. With no bass note to anchor them, the chords around it decide which name your ear picks.

What is the difference between E6 and E7?

E6 adds a C sharp and rests; E7 adds a D and pushes toward A. They live one string apart in the same corner of the neck, so check the C string to know which you are playing.

When would I use E6?

As a softer or easier E: ending songs in E, backing swing tunes, and anywhere plain E is more work than the moment deserves.