C6 piano chord — the keys, the inversions, the theory

C6 is a sixth chord built from C, E, G, A. Below: the keys to press, every inversion with its own diagram, the intervals it is made of, the keys whose scale contains it, and a progression that actually uses it. Press any diagram to hear it.

C6

C · E · G · A

Piano keyboardC4C5

Semitones above the root: 0 – 4 – 7 – 9

A major third at the bottom is what makes this bright and settled.

Inversions of C6

  • Root position

    C · E · G · A · bass C

  • Inversion 1

    E · G · A · C · bass E

  • Inversion 2

    G · A · C · E · bass G

  • Inversion 3

    A · C · E · G · bass A

Same chord, different note at the bottom. Press a diagram to hear it — inversions are how you move between chords without jumping your hand across the keyboard.

Keys that contain C6

  • CI
  • GIV
  • FV

In C it does this job: I – V – vi – IV

  1. C6
  2. G
  3. Am
  4. F

Questions