Introduction

C Major 6 piano chord, root position — C, E, G, A — The C Major 6 chord in root position on a piano keyboard, notes C, E, G, A.

The C Major 6 chord is a four-note chord made up of C, E, G, and A.

Notes

Notes:C – E – G – A

C Major 6 Inversions

C Major 6 piano chord, 1st inversion — E, G, A, C — The C Major 6 chord, 1st inversion, on a piano keyboard.

C Major 6 piano chord, 2nd inversion — G, A, C, E — The C Major 6 chord, 2nd inversion, on a piano keyboard.

C Major 6 piano chord, 3rd inversion — A, C, E, G — The C Major 6 chord, 3rd inversion, on a piano keyboard.

Position	Notes
Root Position	C – E – G – A
1st Inversion	E – G – A – C
2nd Inversion	G – A – C – E
3rd Inversion	C – E – G – A

Key Signature

The key of C Major 6 has no sharps or flats. Every note is natural, which makes it the easiest key signature to read on the staff.

Chords in the Key of C Major

These are the diatonic triads built on each degree of the C major scale:

C

D

E

F

G

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

A

B

I — C Major (major)

Degree	Numeral	Chord	Quality
1	I	C Major	Major
2	ii	D Minor	Minor
3	iii	E Minor	Minor
4	IV	F Major	Major
5	V	G Major	Major
6	vi	A Minor	Minor
7	vii°	B Diminished	Diminished

Related Chords

Parallel Minor:C Minor

Relative Minor:A Minor

Dominant (V):G Major

Subdominant (IV):F Major

Theory: Intervals

Formula: Root - Major 3rd - Perfect 5th - Major 6th

Intervals: 1-3-5-6

The C Major 6 is built by stacking intervals from the root note. The formula Root - Major 3rd - Perfect 5th - Major 6th describes the scale degrees used. The intervals 1-3-5-6 show the distance between each note in the chord.

C Major 6 — Frequently Asked Questions

What notes are in the C Major 6 chord?

C6 contains four notes: C (root), E (major third), G (perfect fifth), and A (major sixth). A major triad with an added sixth — warm, sweet, and nostalgic.

How does C6 differ from Cmaj7?

C6 has A (major sixth). Cmaj7 has B (major seventh). C6 sounds warm and vintage; Cmaj7 sounds dreamy and modern. Both add colour to a major triad but with different characters.

How does C6 differ from Am7?

Same four notes (C, E, G, A = A, C, E, G). C6 when C is the root/bass; Am7 when A is the root/bass. Context determines the name.

How is C6 used in music?

C6 is a vintage jazz and swing chord. It was the standard tonic voicing before maj7 became popular in the 1960s. C6 appears in swing, country, Hawaiian, and doo-wop music.

What songs use Major 6th chords?

Major 6th chords define the swing era: Glenn Miller, Count Basie, and Duke Ellington arrangements end on 6th chords. Country music, Hawaiian slack-key guitar, and 1950s doo-wop all use 6th chords as the default tonic.

Can I substitute C6 for C Major?

Yes — C6 replaces C Major for a warmer, more colourful tonic. In jazz before 1960, C6 was the default tonic chord, not Cmaj7. The sixth adds sweetness without the dreaminess of the seventh.

Practice Tips

Play C Major then add A — hear the warm, sweet colour the sixth brings.
C6 and Am7 are the same notes — context determines the name.
C6 was the standard jazz tonic before Cmaj7 took over in the 1960s — vintage sound.
Compare C6 with Cmaj7 — sixth is warm and nostalgic; seventh is dreamy and modern.
C6 is the sound of swing, country, and Hawaiian music.
Try ending a jazz standard on C6 instead of Cmaj7 for a vintage feel.

Explore More

Major 6 Chord in Other Keys

C#Db D D#Eb E F F#Gb G G#Ab A A#Bb B Cb

Parent Scale

C Major Scale

Browse all Major 6 Chords →All C Chords →Learn about sixth chords →

Related Lessons

Keep going with the Major 6 chord — these pages cover the underlying theory, the connected reference material, and the practice tools that work with this chord.

C Major 6