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C♯ 6th chord on guitar (C♯6)
Also called or written C♯6 or C♯
C♯ 6th contains C♯, E♯, G♯ and A♯. The 8th fret shape bars the A and D strings with the index finger while the pinky reaches the 10th fret.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5, 6
- Root positionC♯–E♯–G♯–A♯C♯69-8-8-10-9-×
- First inversionE♯–G♯–A♯–C♯C♯6/E♯1-1-3-1-2-1
- Second inversionG♯–A♯–C♯–E♯C♯6/G♯4-4-3-3-×-×
- Third inversionA♯–C♯–E♯–G♯C♯6/A♯×-1-3-1-2-1
How do you play a C♯ 6th chord on guitar?
C♯ 6th is played at the 8th fret as 9 8 8 10 9 ×: barre your index finger across fret 8, middle finger on the low E string at fret 9, pinky finger on the G string at fret 10 and ring finger on the B string at fret 9. The high e string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 9 | 2 | C♯ (1) |
| 5 (A) | 8 | 1 (barre) | E♯ (3) |
| 4 (D) | 8 | 1 (barre) | A♯ (6) |
| 3 (G) | 10 | 4 | E♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 3 | G♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
AdvancedThe index barre must fret the A and D strings at the 8th fret while the pinky stretches to the 10th fret G string, which requires finger independence.
11th fret
C♯ 6th is played at the 11th fret as × × 11 13 11 13: index finger on the D string at fret 11, ring finger on the G string at fret 13, middle finger on the B string at fret 11 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 13. The low E and A strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | muted | — | — |
| 4 (D) | 11 | 1 | C♯ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 13 | 3 | G♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 11 | 2 | A♯ (6) |
| 1 (e) | 13 | 4 | E♯ (3) |
C♯6/E♯ inversion · fret 1
C♯ 6th is played at the 1st fret as 1 1 3 1 2 1: barre your index finger across fret 1, pinky finger on the D string at fret 3 and ring finger on the B string at fret 2.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 1 | 1 (barre) | E♯ (3) |
| 5 (A) | 1 | 1 (barre) | A♯ (6) |
| 4 (D) | 3 | 4 | E♯ (3) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 3 | C♯ (1) |
| 1 (e) | 1 | 1 (barre) | E♯ (3) |
C♯6/E♯ inversion · fret 2
C♯ 6th is played at the 2nd fret as × × 3 3 2 4: middle finger on the D string at fret 3, ring finger on the G string at fret 3, index finger on the B string at fret 2 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 4. The low E and A strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | muted | — | — |
| 4 (D) | 3 | 2 | E♯ (3) |
| 3 (G) | 3 | 3 | A♯ (6) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 1 | C♯ (1) |
| 1 (e) | 4 | 4 | G♯ (5) |
C♯6/E♯ inversion · fret 6
C♯ 6th is played at the 6th fret as × 8 6 6 6 6: barre your index finger across fret 6 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 8. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 8 | 4 | E♯ (3) |
| 4 (D) | 6 | 1 (barre) | G♯ (5) |
| 3 (G) | 6 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (1) |
| 2 (B) | 6 | 1 (barre) | E♯ (3) |
| 1 (e) | 6 | 1 (barre) | A♯ (6) |
Why it sounds like that
C♯ 6th is built from the formula 1, 3, 5, 6. The major sixth A♯ added to the C♯ major triad gives the chord a bright, singing quality. Compare it with C♯ major, which lacks the sixth.
What goes wrong with C♯ 6th?
- Letting the high e string ring: mute it with the ring finger, or the open E clashes with the chord.
- Not pressing the barre hard enough on the D string, causing a buzz.
- Flattening the pinky onto the B string and deadening it.
When to use it
C♯ 6th is the tonic in C♯ major, used in the I–IV–V–I progression C♯–F♯–G♯–C♯. Its bright colour suits rock and pop. Use it to add sparkle to a C♯ major chord in a chorus.
Changing to and from C♯ 6th
- Sliding the shape down one fret to the 7th fret gives C 6th; the barre and fingers move as a unit.
Which voicing to use
The 8th fret shape keeps the root C♯ in the bass and is the most common movable form. The C♯6/F inversion at the 1st fret places the third E♯ in the bass, which gives a lighter, more open sound.
Other C♯ chords
Common questions
How is C♯ 6th written?
The symbol C♯6 is the most common spelling, and the ASCII root is C#. It is also spelled D♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
Can I play C♯ 6th with a barre at the 11th fret?
Yes, the 11th fret shape is a partial barre with the root on the D string. It is useful for higher register playing.
Why is the high e string muted in the 8th fret shape?
The high e is not a chord tone, so it must be muted to keep the voicing clean and avoid a clash.