F6: F Major 6th Piano Chord

Second inversion: either hand, fingers low note to high
Hand	Notes	Fingers
Right	C, D, F, A	1-2-3-5
Left	C, D, F, A	5-4-2-1

Scale degree, note, and interval measured from the root.
Degree	Note	Interval from root	Semitones
1	F	Perfect unison	0
3	A	Major third	4
5	C	Perfect fifth	7
6	D	Major sixth	9

Construction

F Major 6 = Root + Major 3rd + Perfect 5th + Major 6th = F, A, C, D

Note	Interval	Degree
F	Root	1
A	Major 3rd	3
C	Perfect 5th	5
D	Major 6th	6

Fingering

Note	Key color	Right hand	Left hand
F	white	thumb (1)	little finger (5)
A	white	index finger (2)	middle finger (3)
C	white	middle finger (3)	index finger (2)
D	white	little finger (5)	thumb (1)

Right hand: thumb (1) on F, index finger (2) on A, middle finger (3) on C, little finger (5) on D.

Left hand: little finger (5) on F, middle finger (3) on A, index finger (2) on C, thumb (1) on D.

F Major 6 Inversions

Root position
F – A – C – D
1st inversion (F6/A)
A – C – D – F
2nd inversion (F6/C)
C – D – F – A
3rd inversion (F6/D)
D – F – A – C

Key Signature

A chord has no key signature of its own, but the F Major 6 is the tonic (I) chord of F Major, whose key signature has 1 flat (B♭).

B♭

Order of flats

Flats are added in a fixed order — the reverse of the sharp order. Each new flat key adds the next flat on the list.

B♭E♭A♭D♭G♭C♭F♭

Mnemonic: Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’ Father

Chords in the Key of F Major

These are the triads built on each degree of F Major:

I — F Major (major)

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

Same Notes, Other Names

The notes F – A – C – D aren’t exclusive to this chord. Depending on which note is the bass and how the chord functions, the same pitches also spell:

D Minor 7th→

F Major 6 : Frequently Asked Questions

What is the F Major 6 chord on piano?

The F Major 6 chord contains the notes F – A – C – D. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.

What notes are in the F Major 6 chord?

F6 contains: F, A, C, D. Major triad with major sixth. All white keys.

How does F6 differ from Fmaj7?

F6 has D (sixth). Fmaj7 has E (seventh).

How does F6 differ from Dm7?

Same four notes, different root.

How is F6 used?

Vintage jazz, swing, country. All white keys: easy to play.

What songs use Major 6th?

Swing era, country, Hawaiian.

Can I substitute F6 for F Major?

Yes: warmer tonic.

F Major 6th in detail

Exact

Every pitch class is present and nothing outside the chord is added.

Type	Notes	Semitones	Span	Omissions and additions	Set relation
Close, root position	F3 A3 C4 D4	9	124 mm	none	identical
Close, first inversion	A3 C4 D4 F4	8	110 mm	none	identical
Close, second inversion	C4 D4 F4 A4	9	124 mm	none	identical
Close, third inversion	D4 F4 A4 C5	10	138 mm	none	identical
Drop 2	C3 F3 A3 D4	14	193 mm	none	identical
Drop 3	A2 F3 C4 D4	17	234 mm	none	identical
Drop 2 and 4	F2 C3 A3 D4	21	289 mm	none	identical

Reduced

A subset of the pitch classes: the identity is incomplete rather than altered.

Type	Notes	Semitones	Span	Omissions and additions	Set relation
Shell, root 6 3	F2 D3 A3	16	220 mm	omits C	subset
Guide tones, 3 and 6	A3 D4	5	69 mm	omits F and C	subset
Rootless close	A3 C4 D4	5	69 mm	omits F	subset

Spans are measured centre to centre at a 165 mm octave (standard keyboard geometry).

Position	Bass note	Notes in order	Figured bass	Semitones	Span
Root position	F	F3, A3, C4, D4	7	9	124 mm
First inversion: F6/A	A	A3, C4, D4, F4	6/5	8	110 mm
Second inversion: F6/C	C	C4, D4, F4, A4	4/3	9	124 mm
Third inversion: F6/D	D	D4, F4, A4, C5	4/2	10	138 mm

One position per chord tone in the bass. Spans are for close position: voiced inversions appear under Voicings.

Change one note

Chords a single note away, and what moving that note does.

Chord	Change	Formula	Common tones
F	drops D	1 3 5	3
Fmaj7	D becomes E	1 3 5 7	3
F7	D becomes E♭	1 3 5 ♭7	3
Fm6	A becomes A♭	1 ♭3 5 6	3
Fadd9	D becomes G	1 3 5 9	3
Fmaj9	D becomes E, G	1 3 5 7 9	3
F9	D becomes E♭, G	1 3 5 ♭7 9	3
Fm	A, D becomes A♭	1 ♭3 5	2
Faug	C, D becomes C♯	1 3 ♯5	2
Fsus2	A, D becomes G	1 2 5	2
Fsus4	A, D becomes B♭	1 4 5	2
Fm7	A, D becomes A♭, E♭	1 ♭3 5 ♭7	2

Frequencies

Note	MIDI	Frequency
F3	53	174.61 Hz
A3	57	220.00 Hz
C4	60	261.63 Hz
D4	62	293.66 Hz

Reference pitch A440, 12-TET, close root position.

Set theory: prime form, Forte number, interval vector

Absolute pitch class set: {5, 9, 0, 2}
Normal order: [9, 0, 2, 5]
Prime form: (0358)
Forte number: 4-26
Interval vector: <012120>

Pair	Interval	Semitones	Interval class
F to A	Major third	4	4
F to C	Perfect fifth	7	5
F to D	Major sixth	9	3
A to C	Minor third	3	3
A to D	Perfect fourth	5	5
C to D	Major second	2	2

Where these facts come from

Every value on this page is derived from the note formula for a major 6th applied to the root F, using standard music theory. Nothing here is hand-entered per chord, so the notes, intervals, inversions and frequencies cannot drift out of agreement with each other. Pitches assume 12-TET at A440.

F Major 6

Fingerings

F Major 6th: notes and degrees