F6 chord on guitar

F6 is F, A, C and D. The usual shape is 1-0-0-2-1-1. Play it once at full speed, then at a quarter to hear every note.

How to play F6 on guitar

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

1. Index finger: low E string, 1st fret (F).
2. Middle finger: B string, 1st fret (C).
3. Ring finger: high E string, 1st fret (F).
4. Pinky: G string, 2nd fret (A).
5. Let the open A and D strings ring (A and D).

• Arch your fingers so their tips come down vertically. That keeps them off the open strings, which have to ring for the chord to sound complete.
• Your little finger has a job in this shape; it gets stronger in a week or two of short daily practice.

Other ways to play F6

• x-8-7-7-10-8: partial barre shape at the 7th fret, medium. Up the neck the chord gets thinner and brighter, a good contrast to the open version.
• 13-12-10-10-10-10: partial barre shape at the 10th fret, medium. Up the neck the chord gets thinner and brighter, a good contrast to the open version.
• x-x-15-14-15-13: movable shape at the 13th fret, medium. Only the thinner strings sound, which cuts through a band without getting muddy.

F6 the capo way

No barre needed if a capo is allowed: capo on the 1st fret and play the open E6 shape (0-2-2-1-2-0), capo on the 3rd fret and play the open D6 shape (x-x-0-2-0-2) or capo on the 5th fret and play the open C6 shape (x-3-2-2-1-0). The chord sounds as F6 because the capo raises every string by a half step.

Changing from F6 to the chords around it

Songs rarely hold F6 for long. Here's what your hand does on the moves that come up most.

• B♭ (IV in F major): F6 (1-0-0-2-1-1) to B♭ (x-1-3-3-3-1): the index finger lays across the A to high E strings at the 1st fret, move the middle finger to the D string, 3rd fret, the ring finger goes to the G string, 3rd fret. Nothing carries over, so drill it slowly, lifting and landing all fingers at once. Listen for F and D, which stay put while the rest moves. B♭ on guitar
• C (V in F major): F6 (1-0-0-2-1-1) to C (x-3-2-0-1-0): move the index finger to the B string, 1st fret, your middle finger lands on the D string, 2nd fret, the ring finger goes to the A string, 3rd fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. Shared note: C. C on guitar
• Dm (vi in F major): F6 (1-0-0-2-1-1) to Dm (x-x-0-2-3-1): your index finger lands on the high E string, 1st fret, your middle finger lands on the G string, 2nd fret, move the ring finger to the B string, 3rd fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. F, A and D carry over from one chord to the other. Dm on guitar

F6 is F major with a major sixth added. F6 is a vintage ending chord; hold it at the end of a swing or ballad tune instead of plain F. On guitar you hear it best picked slowly, string by string.

A short F6 drill

Pick shape 1 one string at a time, low to high: F, A, D, A, C, F. Every note should ring clearly; if one thuds, adjust that finger before you strum. Finish by moving between 1-0-0-2-1-1 and x-8-7-7-10-8 to learn two positions of the same chord.

Keys and progressions with F6

F6 on piano and ukulele

The same notes on another instrument: F6 on piano and F6 on ukulele. This page puts all three side by side.

Next to try on guitar

• F
• Fmaj7
• Fm7
• Fadd9

Other major sixth chords

• C6
• C♯6
• D6
• E♭6
• E6
• F♯6
• G6
• A♭6
• A6
• B♭6
• B6

Checked automatically: no shape here plays a note outside F6. Updated September 2026. Print this chord