Note: You'll gain the most from this article if you have a basic knowledge of major and minor chords, pop chord progressions and chord inversions. You can find guides to all of these in our chords library.

Sixth chords add nuance and complexity to music, making it more engaging for listeners. They also infuse music with a feeling of hope. In this article, we introduce the sixth note and show how it's used to build sixth chords. We then cover how sixth chords sound and the types of songs they appear in, before ending with some tips on next steps.

How do you build a sixth chord?

A sixth chord is a major triad with the sixth note of the scale added. This is why you may also see it referred to as an "added sixth chord."

So what is the sixth note? There are seven notes in any scale, named for their position relative to the root note. We'll use a C major scale as an example:

When building a sixth chord, we're interested in the sixth note of the scale: 4.5 steps above the root note, a whole step above the fifth.

How do you play sixth chords on piano?

For a major sixth chord, the starting point is a major triad. As always, it's made up of the root note, the major third and the fifth. Here's a C major triad:

To make it into a major sixth chord, you simply add the sixth note — in this case, it would be A (see the video below for a visual).

What do sixth chords sound like?

A sixth chord is easy on the ear, as the sixth note has no jarring dissonances in it — unlike seventh chords or augmented/diminished chords. That said, it does sound a little "unfinished" compared to a major triad, so we still expect it to resolve.

Continuing with our example above, here's how a C major triad sounds when transformed into C major 6 (C6):

What songs use sixth chords?

"The Blue Danube" — Johann Strauss II

This bouncy Romantic-era classic was made for dancing. Specifically, it's a waltz — characterized by having an almost suspended sound on the second beat of each measure, as though someone were floating in the air. The use of the sixth chord in this piece only adds to that uplifted, suspended effect. 

"White Christmas" — Irving Berlin

In measure three of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas," the CMaj6 chord introduces a warm and cozy feeling early in the song. This chord's rich and inviting tone helps to evoke the comforting and cheerful spirit of the holiday season, setting the stage for the nostalgic journey ahead.

"A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing" — Billy Strayhorn

The F6 chord adds a lush atmosphere to this tender jazz ballad by Billy Strayhorn — its gentle, harmonious tone enhancing the song's romantic mood and perfectly complementing the poetic lyrics.

Explore and learn more! Next steps and resources

Incorporating sixth chords into your music can greatly enrich your playing, adding layers of nuance and sophistication, whether you're performing a timeless waltz, a modern pop hit or a dramatic rock ballad. 

Now that you have an understanding of sixth chords, we recommend trying out some of the song examples above and seeing how sixth chords work in other songs, too. You can also learn more about chords with our courses in the flowkey app, and check out other articles in our chords library — for example, the ones on seventh chords and ninth chords.

With interactive song tutorials and courses covering all the piano basics and more, flowkey is a great support for learning piano at your own pace — and there's a seven-day free trial, so you can try it out risk-free.

Happy playing!