Advanced CHORDS THEORY - Lesson 23 pt. 1 - 6th chords

Did you at least time this tutorial well enough to be the 6th different chord type you discuss?

1. Topics of discussion
2. 6th Chords

1. Topics of discussion

In this tutorial, we will be talking about 6th chords. So, let's have some fun.

2. 6th Chords

6th chords are very similar to 7th chords, meaning that in order to obtain these chords, you simply add the 6th note of a major scale on top of a triad. The only main difference I can think of is that we do not have dominant 6th chords. As a result, we have 4 different chord formulas for 6th chords:

• major 6th chords (notated with the 6 digit e.g. C6): 1 3 5 6
• minor 6th chords (notated with m6, e.g. Cm6): 1 ♭3 5 6
• augmented 6th chords (notated with aug 6 or 6(#5)): 1 3 ♯5 6
• diminished 6th chords: 1 ♭3 ♭5 6

The fun fact in all of this is the following one. When adding the 6th note of a major scale on top of a diminished triad, you indeed can obtain what is rarely called a diminished 6th chord. However, if you take a closer look at that chord, you will realize that it contains the same notes as a dim7 chord. A dim7 chord, as you recall, has you playing a diminished triad and a double flatted seventh note, which of course translates to the sixth note of the major scale. Chromatic scales and music are fun, aren't they?

Anyhow, let's go through some ways of playing these chords using the CAGED system, starting with C6. First off, the C form:


And here it is played back.

Next up, the A form:


And here it is played back.

Let's move on to the G form:


And here it is played back.

Next in line is the E form:


And here it is played back.

Finally, the D form:


And here it is played back.

Hate these chords yet? If not, let's move on to minor 6th chords. First off, the Cm6 chord, C form:


And here it is played back.

Next up, the A form:


And here it is played back.

Let's move on to the G form:


And here it is played back.

Next up, the E form:


And here it is played back.

Finally, the D form:


And here it is played back.

And with this, we reach the end of part 1.