Also written C6 or C
C 6th contains C, E, G, and A. All four strings ring open, making this the easiest 6th chord on the ukulele.
The same three notes, with a different one in the bass.
C 6th is built from 1, 3, 5, 6, adding a major 6th to a major triad. The major 6th interval between C and A gives the chord its bright, airy quality. Compare it to C major, which lacks the 6th.
C 6th works as the I chord in C major, especially in I–IV–V–I with C major, F major, and G major. Its open, ringing quality suits folk, country, and singalongs.
The open position is the only voicing with C in the bass and the easiest to play. The C6/E inversion puts E in the bass for a brighter, higher sound, while the C6/G inversion puts G in the bass for a fuller, lower register.
C 6th is played in open position as 0 0 0 0. The G, C, E and A strings ring open.
Tip — The open position requires no fretting, so the only challenge is strumming all four strings evenly without muting any.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | open | — | G (5) |
| 3 (C) | open | — | C (1) |
| 2 (E) | open | — | E (3) |
| 1 (A) | open | — | A (6) |
C 6th is played at the 2nd fret as 2 4 3 3: index finger on the G string at fret 2, pinky finger on the C string at fret 4, middle finger on the E string at fret 3 and ring finger on the A string at fret 3.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 2 | 1 | A (6) |
| 3 (C) | 4 | 4 | E (3) |
| 2 (E) | 3 | 2 | G (5) |
| 1 (A) | 3 | 3 | C (1) |
C 6th is played at the 5th fret as 5 7 5 7: index finger on the G string at fret 5, ring finger on the C string at fret 7, middle finger on the E string at fret 5 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 7.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 5 | 1 | C (1) |
| 3 (C) | 7 | 3 | G (5) |
| 2 (E) | 5 | 2 | A (6) |
| 1 (A) | 7 | 4 | E (3) |
C 6th is played at the 8th fret as 9 9 8 10: middle finger on the G string at fret 9, ring finger on the C string at fret 9, index finger on the E string at fret 8 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 10.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 9 | 2 | E (3) |
| 3 (C) | 9 | 3 | A (6) |
| 2 (E) | 8 | 1 | C (1) |
| 1 (A) | 10 | 4 | G (5) |
C 6th is played at the 12th fret as 12 12 12 12: barre your index finger across fret 12.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 12 | 1 (barre) | G (5) |
| 3 (C) | 12 | 1 (barre) | C (1) |
| 2 (E) | 12 | 1 (barre) | E (3) |
| 1 (A) | 12 | 1 (barre) | A (6) |
C 6th adds a major 6th (A) to the C major triad. This extra note creates a more colorful, less plain sound than the major chord.
C 6th uses all open strings, so no fretting is required. The reentrant tuning places the notes in a comfortable order for strumming.
Yes, C 6th can substitute for C major when you want a softer, more colorful tonic. It works especially well in folk and pop progressions.