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Guitar chords · Major 6th

B♭6 chord on guitar (Bb6)

B♭6 (B♭ major 6th) has four notes: B♭, D, F and G, the , 3, 5 and 6.

Shapes

How to play B♭6

Strum a shape to hear it, or pick it one string at a time. R marks the ; the other numbers are the chord tones.

B♭6 has no common . Play it as the A shape at 1 or the E shape at fret 6. A keeps its fingering anywhere on the neck: slide it up or down and the , on the lowest played string, names the chord.

  • A shape · fret 1

    ×R5R36B♭FB♭DG
  • E shape · fret 6

    6frR5R36RB♭FB♭DGB♭
Name a shape you're holding: the chord finder

Notes and formula

What makes B♭6 major 6th

A 6th chord adds the 6th note of the scale to a major chord. It is sweeter and less tense than a , and it often ends a song in swing, country and old pop.

  • 1Root: the note the chord is named after. Keep it.
  • 3Essential: makes the chord what it is. Never drop it.
  • 5Optional: drop it first when you run out of fingers.

The 3rd and the 6th make B♭6 a major 6th chord; you can leave out the 5th.

  1. B♭Rroot
  2. D3essential
  3. F5optional
  4. G6essential
EADGBE0135791215B♭B♭B♭B♭B♭B♭B♭B♭FGDFGDFGDFGDFGDFGDFGDFGDFG
  • B♭, the root
  • Other chord tones

B♭6 and A♯6 are the same chord with two names: same , same sound. Which one you see depends on the key the song is written in.

Keys

Keys with B♭6

B♭6 belongs to six keys: E♭ major (V6), B♭ major (I6), F major (IV6), C minor (VII6), G minor (III6) and D minor (VI6).

Numerals follow the key's own scale, so III, VI and VII in a minor key are its own major chords. A ♭ or ♯ in front marks a chord from outside the key. How Roman numerals work

Slash chords

B♭6 over another bass note

A keeps B♭6 on top and puts another note in the bass: the letter after the slash is the lowest note you play.

  • B♭6/D

    B♭6 with its 3rd, D, in the bass.

  • B♭6/F

    B♭6 with its 5th, F, in the bass.

Questions

B♭6, in short

What notes are in the B♭6 chord?
B♭6 (B♭ major 6th) has four notes: B♭, D, F and G, the , 3, 5 and 6.
How do you play B♭6 on guitar?
B♭6 has no common . Play it as the A shape at 1 or the E shape at fret 6.
What key is B♭6 in?
B♭6 belongs to six keys: E♭ major (V6), B♭ major (I6), F major (IV6), C minor (VII6), G minor (III6) and D minor (VI6).
Is B♭6 the same as A♯6?
Yes: same frets, same sound, different name. B♭6 is the spelling in E♭ major, B♭ major, F major, C minor, G minor and D minor. No key on the circle spells it A♯6, so you will rarely see that name.
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