B6 chord on guitar

B6 is B, D♯, F♯ and G♯. The usual shape is x-2-1-1-0-2. Play it once at full speed, then at a quarter to hear every note.

How to play B6 on guitar

Shape 1, x-2-1-1-0-2, reading from the low E string on the left:

1. Index finger: D string, 1st fret (D♯).
2. Middle finger: G string, 1st fret (G♯).
3. Ring finger: A string, 2nd fret (B).
4. Pinky: high E string, 2nd fret (F♯).
5. Let the open B string ring (B).
6. Don't play the low E string: start your strum on the A string.

• If an open string sounds dead, a fingertip is leaning on it. Come down more on the tips, with your knuckles bent.
• The pinky takes a note here. Keep it curved and close to the fretboard between chords so it has less distance to travel.

Other ways to play B6

• 7-6-4-4-4-4: partial barre shape at the 4th fret, medium. Use it when the next chord sits nearby on the neck.
• x-x-9-8-9-7: movable shape at the 7th fret, medium. Only the thinner strings sound, which cuts through a band without getting muddy.
• x-14-13-13-12-x: movable shape at the 12th fret, medium. Fewer strings, so it sounds lighter and is quicker to change to.

Capo shortcuts for B6

A capo turns an open chord into B6: capo on the 2nd fret and play the open A6 shape (x-0-2-2-2-2), capo on the 4th fret and play the open G6 shape (3-2-0-0-0-0) or capo on the 7th fret and play the open E6 shape (0-2-2-1-2-0). Handy when the rest of the song's chords also have open shapes in that position.

Changing from B6 to the chords around it

These are the changes you'll meet most often with B6, using the first shape of each chord.

• E (IV in B major): B6 (x-2-1-1-0-2) to E (0-2-2-1-0-0): the index finger slides across to the G string at the same fret, your middle finger lands on the A string, 2nd fret, the ring finger slides across to the D string at the same fret. Everything moves: lift the whole hand and place the new shape in one go. The two chords share B and G♯, which is why the change sounds smooth. E on guitar
• F♯ (V in B major): B6 (x-2-1-1-0-2) to F♯ (2-4-4-3-2-2): the index finger lays across the low E to high E strings at the 2nd fret, the middle finger goes to the G string, 3rd fret, move the ring finger to the A string, 4th fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. The two chords share F♯, which is why the change sounds smooth. F♯ on guitar
• G♯m (vi in B major): B6 (x-2-1-1-0-2) to G♯m (4-6-6-4-4-4): the index finger lays across the low E to high E strings at the 4th fret, your middle finger lands on the A string, 6th fret, move the ring finger to the D string, 6th fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. B, D♯ and G♯ carry over from one chord to the other. G♯m on guitar

B6 is B major with a major sixth added. B6 is a vintage ending chord; hold it at the end of a swing or ballad tune instead of plain B. The slow arpeggio button above makes that quality easy to hear.

Getting B6 under your fingers

Before strumming, play x-2-1-1-0-2 note by note: B then D♯ then G♯ then B then F♯. A dead note tells you exactly which finger to fix. Then switch to 7-6-4-4-4-4 and back four times without looking at your hand.

Keys and progressions with B6

B6 on piano and ukulele

B6 on piano and ukulele uses the same 4 notes in a different layout. See all three together.

Related B chords on guitar

• B
• Bmaj7
• Bm7
• Badd9

Other major sixth chords

• C6
• C♯6
• D6
• E♭6
• E6
• F6
• F♯6
• G6
• A♭6
• A6
• B♭6

Shapes and sound are generated from the notes B, D♯, F♯ and G♯ and tested automatically. Updated September 2026. Print this chord