D6 guitar chord: 6 ways to play D major 6th

Ways to play D6

Open position first, then up the neck. Tap a shape to put it on the fretboard above and hear it. The numbers are fingers (1 is your index), × means leave that string out, and ○ means let it ring open.

What's in D6

A major 6th chord adds the 6th to a major triad: D6 is D, F♯, A, B. Those are the same notes as Bm7, so the name depends on which note is in the bass and what the music around it is doing.

Note	Formula	Interval from D
D	1	Root
F♯	3	Major 3rd
A	5	Perfect 5th
B	6	Major 6th

Sweet and a little vintage. It is a common last chord in swing, and the major-to-6th shuffle is a rock and roll rhythm part all by itself.

Keys that use D6

Every major and minor key whose scale contains all of D, F♯, A and B, and the chord's Roman numeral in each.

Key	D6 is the
D major	I6
A major	IV6
G major	V6
F♯ minor	VI6
B minor	III6
E minor	VII6

Progressions to try

ii–V–I6 in D major

Ending on a 6th chord is a swing-era sound, sweeter than a maj7.

I–I6 in D major

D
D6

Alternating a major chord with its 6th, the shuffle pattern behind a lot of early rock and roll.

Other chords on D:

See every chord in the library

D6 chord