D6 chord on guitar

D6 is D, F♯, A and B. The easiest shape is x-x-0-2-0-2. Press Play to hear it, then try it at half speed.

How to play D6 on guitar

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

1. A: index finger, 2nd fret of the G string.
2. F♯: middle finger, 2nd fret of the high E string.
3. Leave the D and B strings open: D and B.
4. Strum from the D string down; the low E and A strings stay silent.

• If an open string sounds dead, a fingertip is leaning on it. Come down more on the tips, with your knuckles bent.
• Aim the strum at the thinner strings only; the lower ones are marked × for a reason.

Other ways to play D6

• 10-9-7-7-7-7: partial barre shape at the 7th fret, medium. Up the neck the chord gets thinner and brighter, a good contrast to the open version.
• x-x-12-11-12-10: movable shape at the 10th fret, medium. Only the thinner strings sound, which cuts through a band without getting muddy.

Capo shortcuts for D6

A capo turns an open chord into D6: capo on the 2nd fret and play the open C6 shape (x-3-2-2-1-0), capo on the 5th fret and play the open A6 shape (x-0-2-2-2-2) or capo on the 7th fret and play the open G6 shape (3-2-0-0-0-0). Handy when the rest of the song's chords also have open shapes in that position.

Changing from D6 to the chords around it

The chords D6 usually goes to, and what changes under your fingers.

• G (IV in D major): D6 (x-x-0-2-0-2) to G (3-2-0-0-0-3): the index finger goes to the A string, 2nd fret, the middle finger goes to the low E string, 3rd fret, the ring finger comes down on the high E string, 3rd fret. Everything moves: lift the whole hand and place the new shape in one go. The two chords share D and B, which is why the change sounds smooth. G on guitar
• A (V in D major): D6 (x-x-0-2-0-2) to A (x-0-2-2-2-0): the index finger slides across to the D string at the same fret, move the middle finger to the G string, 2nd fret, the ring finger comes down on the B string, 2nd fret. Nothing carries over, so drill it slowly, lifting and landing all fingers at once. Shared note: A. A on guitar
• Bm (vi in D major): D6 (x-x-0-2-0-2) to Bm (x-2-4-4-3-2): the index finger lays across the A to high E strings at the 2nd fret, your middle finger lands on the B string, 3rd fret, the ring finger comes down on the D string, 4th fret, the pinky finger comes down on the G string, 4th fret. Everything moves: lift the whole hand and place the new shape in one go. D, F♯ and B carry over from one chord to the other. Bm on guitar

D6 is D major with a major sixth added. D6 is a vintage ending chord; hold it at the end of a swing or ballad tune instead of plain D. Play it once strummed and once picked to hear the difference.

A short D6 drill

Pick shape 1 one string at a time, low to high: D, A, B, F♯. Every note should ring clearly; if one thuds, adjust that finger before you strum. Then switch to 10-9-7-7-7-7 and back four times without looking at your hand.

D6 in context

D6 on piano and ukulele

Switching instruments? Try D6 on ukulele or D6 on piano, or compare them on the D6 chord page.

Next to try on guitar

• D
• Dmaj7
• Dm7
• Dadd9

Other major sixth chords

• C6
• C♯6
• E♭6
• E6
• F6
• F♯6
• G6
• A♭6
• A6
• B♭6
• B6

Checked automatically: no shape here plays a note outside D6. Updated September 2026. Print this chord