What is an Add6 Chord on the Piano?

Add6 chords are part of the Add chords group such as Add2, Add4, and Add11.  Add chords add one extra tone to a Major or minor triad. 

An add6 chord is a Major or minor triad in which the sixth tone is included in the chord.   It’s also referred to as a 6th chord. It doesn’t include a seventh tone as that would redefine it as a 13th chord due to the fact that the 6th and 13th are the same tone, but in a different context.

How to Create Add6 Chords

The add6 chord contains four notes in which three of them are those of a Major or minor triad.  Add6 chords can be Major or minor.  In order to create an Add6 chord, take a Major or minor triad and add the sixth tone of a Major key of music.

The Key of C Major

Cadd6

Cm add6

Add6 Chord Intervals

Chords are built upon intervals.  Intervals are the distance between notes.  The interval of the add6 chord is a Major 6th.  The 6th tone is separated from the root by six tones above the root inclusively.

The Fastest Way to Learn Add6 Chords

If you’re familiar with the 12 Major chords, it will be very easy to learn add6 chords in any key.  

You can cycle from Major to Add6 to minor Add6. 

This article illustrates all 12 Major chords in visual order.  If you’re not familiar with Major chords, learn them first before moving on to the add6 chords of this article.  I would also suggest being familiar with minor chords.   This article explains minor chords. 

C F & G Major to Add6 & Add6 minor

C Major

C Add6

C minor Add6

F Major

F Add6

F minor Add6

G Major

G Add6

G minor Add6

D E & A Major to Add6 & Add6 minor

Chords with white keys on the outside and black on the inside. You could also say that this group of chords is also shaped like a pyramid.

D Major

D Add6

D minor Add6

E Major

E Add6

E minor Add6

A Major 

A Add6

A minor Add6

Db Eb & Ab Major to Add6 & Add6 minor

Db Major

Db Add6

Db minor Add6

Eb Major

Eb Add6

Eb minor Add6

Ab Major

Ab Add6

Ab minor Add6

Gb Bb & B Major to Add6 & Add6 minor

G flat Major

G flat  Add6

G flat minor Add6

B flat Major

B flat Add6

B flat minor Add6

B Major

B Add6

B minor Add6

Add6 Chord Inversions 

Inversions are the rearrangement of the notes within the chord from the bottom up.  Add6 chords can be played in Root position, first inversion, second inversion, or third inversion.  

In Root position, the root of the add6 chord is on the bottom.

C Add6 root position

In first inversion, the root is on the top.

C Add6 1st inversion

In second inversion, the root is the second note from the top.

C Add6 2nd inversion

In third inversion, the root is the second note up from the bottom.

C Add6 3rd inversion

Minor Add6

Minor add6 chord intervals also change when the chords are inverted. The tones of the minor add6 chord are in the same inversions as the Major add6.

C minor Add6 root position

C minor Add6 1st inversion

C minor Add6 2nd inversion

C minor Add6 3nd inversion

Add6 Chord Inversions

Add6 Chord	Root Position	1st Inversion	2nd Inversion	3rd Inversion
C Add6	C-E-G-A	E-G-A-C	G-A-C-E	A-C-E-G
F Add6	F-A-C-D	A-C-D-F	C-D-F-A	D-F-A-C
G Add6	G-B-D-E	B-D-E-G	D-E-G-B	E-G-B-D
D Add6	D-F#-A-B	F#-A-B-D	A-B-D-F#	B-D-F#-A
E Add6	E-G#-B-C#	G#-B-C#-E	B-C#-E-G#	C#-E-G#-B
A Add6	A-C#-E-F#	C#-E-F#-A	E-F#-A-C#	F#-A-C#-E
D flat Add6	Db-F-Ab-Bb	F-Ab-Bb-Db	Ab-Bb-Db-F	Bb-Db-F-Ab
E flat Add6	Eb-G-Bb-C	G-Bb-C-Eb	Bb-C-Eb-G	C-Eb-G-Bb
A flat Add6	Ab-C-Eb-F	C-Eb-F-Ab	Eb-F-Ab-C	F-Ab-C-Eb
G flat Add6	Gb-Bb-Db-Eb	Bb-Db-Eb-Gb	Db-Eb-Gb-Bb	Eb-Gb-Bb-Db
B flat Add6	Bb-D-F-G	D-F-G-Bb	F-G-Bb-D	G-Bb-D-F
B Add6	B-D#-F#G#	D#-F#G#-B	F#-G#-B-D#	G#-B-D#-F#

Minor Add6 Chord Inversions

Add6 Chord	Root Position	1st Inversion	2nd Inversion	3rd Inversion
C Add6	C-Eb-G-A	Eb-G-A-C	G-A-C-Eb	A-C-Eb-G
F Add6	F-Ab-C-D	Ab-C-D-F	C-D-F-Ab	D-F-Ab-C
G Add6	G-Bb-D-E	Bb-D-E-G	D-E-G-Bb	E-G-Bb-D
D Add6	D-F-A-B	F-A-B-D	A-B-D-F	B-D-F-A
E Add6	E-G-B-C#	G-B-C#-E	B-C#-E-G	C#-E-G-B
A Add6	A-C-E-F#	C-E-F#-A	E-F#-A-C	F#-A-C-E
D flat Add6	Db-Fb-Ab-Bb	Fb-Ab-Bb-Db	Ab-Bb-Db-Fb	Bb-Db-Fb-Ab
E flat Add6	Eb-Gb-Bb-C	Gb-Bb-C-Eb	Bb-C-Eb-Gb	C-Eb-Gb-Bb
A flat Add6	Ab-Cb-Eb-F	Cb-Eb-F-Ab	Eb-F-Ab-Cb	F-Ab-Cb-Eb
G flat Add6	Gb-A-Db-Eb	A-Db-Eb-Gb	Db-Eb-Gb-A	Eb-Gb-A-Db
B flat Add6	Bb-Db-F-G	Db-F-G-Bb	F-G-Bb-Db	G-Bb-Db-F
B Add6	B-D-F#G#	D-F#G#-B	F#-G#-B-D	G#-B-D-F#

How to develop proficiency in learning and playing Add6 Chords

• Learn all 12 Major chords in visual order
• Convert all Major chords into Add6 and minor Add6 chords in visual order
• Take each Add6 chord and play it in Root position, 1st inversion and 2nd inversion
• Apply Add6 chords to your favorite music as well as your own songs

Final Thoughts

The add6 chord may only have one note added to a Major or minor triad, but you can hear how much it adds to the harmony.  Try to substitute them anywhere you would normally play a plain triad.

Until Next time, Go Play!