About the B6 chord
The major sixth adds the sixth to a major chord. It is a sweet, settled sound heard in jazz, country and old pop, and a common way to finish a song on the home chord. The symbol for it is B6.
How to play B6
- Put your index finger on the D string at fret 1.
- Put your middle finger on the G string at fret 1.
- Put your ring finger on the A string at fret 2.
- Put your little finger on the high E string at fret 2.
- Strum and let the B string ring open, and don't play the low E string.
1 index · 2 middle · 3 ring · 4 little
Chords in the key of B major
These are the chords built on each note of the B major scale, so they all sound good together with B6. The Roman numeral under each one is its position in the key.
Other B chords
B6 chord questions
What notes are in a B6 chord?
B6 is made of B, D♯, F♯ and G♯. In intervals that is 1, 3, 5, 6 above the root, B.
What is the easiest way to play B6?
The first shape above is the most common one: x 2 1 1 0 2 from the low E string to the high E, where x means don't play that string and 0 means play it open. Start there, and try the other shapes once it feels comfortable.
Is B6 a barre chord?
The main shape above is an open chord with no barre. Some of the other shapes further up the neck do use a barre, which lets you move the same shape to any key.