A6 Guitar Chord

A6 guitar chord: see the fingering, compare positions, and hear it before you play.

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Shape 1/2

Chord shapes:(2 positions)

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Standard

Arpeggio for this shape

P - i - m - a · Classic Ascending (4/4 · 4 notes · Level 1)

The thumb plays A on the 5th and the three top strings add up to 3 different notes. All 6 arpeggios

Steady bass with uniform ascending movement.

Speed:

What sets A6 apart

The notes of A6 are A, C#, E and F#. A is the root, C# the major third, E the fifth and F# the sixth. Said aloud, its notes are A, C sharp, E and F sharp.

From the low string to the high one you hear A, E, A, C# and F#. A rings twice across the five strings, and it is the root. The lowest note is A on string 5 and the highest is F# on string 1.

In A6, string 5 is played open and adds A. String 6 is not played. Every finger presses at fret 2. The second shape on this page starts at fret 5.

A is one change away. String 1 is left open, bringing in E, the fifth of A. A6 holds the whole F#m chord inside it, A, C# and F#. Going to Bm, one position stays the same.

A6 belongs to six keys. In A major it is the I6, in D major the V6 and in E major the IV6. The rest appear in the key list.

Chord Progressions

Explore recommended harmonic circles on CifraLab:

Recommended practice sequences

01A A - F#m - Bm - E7 02C#m C#m - A - F#m - G#7

Music Theory & Formula

Component notes and harmonic structure (A6)

Formula: Major Sixth (1 - 3 - 5 - 6)

Constituent chord intervals:

A 1C# 3E 5F# 6

Root Bass (Fundamental String)5th String (A) • Fret 0 (A)

String Control (Muted & Active)5 / 6 • 1 X Muted

2 Fretboard Positions

Other fretboard positions for A6:

Select each shape in the diagram above to view and listen to it

Standard

Standard Position

5 / 6 stringsRoot: 5th String (A)

String Control (Muted & Active):

6th String (Low E)

×Muted

Do not play

Root

5th String (A)

○Open

ADegree 1

4th String (D)

Fret 2Finger 1

EDegree 5

3rd String (G)

Fret 2Finger 2

ADegree 1

2nd String (B)

Fret 2Finger 3

C#Degree 3

1st String (High E)

Fret 2Finger 4

F#Degree 6

Placement tip: Press: 4th String (D) at fret 2 with your Index finger, 3rd String (G) at fret 2 with your Middle finger, 2nd String (B) at fret 2 with your Ring finger, 1st String (High E) at fret 2 with your Pinky finger. Play open: 5th String (A). Don't play: 6th String (Low E).

Barre 5

Barre fret 5

6 / 6 stringsRoot: 6th String (Low E)

String Control (Muted & Active):

Root

6th String (Low E)

Fret 5Barre

ADegree 1

5th String (A)

Fret 7Finger 3

EDegree 5

4th String (D)

Fret 7Finger 3

ADegree 1

3rd String (G)

Fret 6Finger 2

C#Degree 3

2nd String (B)

Fret 7Finger 4

F#Degree 6

1st String (High E)

Fret 5Barre

ADegree 1

Placement tip: Barre fret 5. Press: 5th String (A) at fret 7 with your Ring finger, 4th String (D) at fret 7 with your Ring finger, 3rd String (G) at fret 6 with your Middle finger, 2nd String (B) at fret 7 with your Pinky finger.

Biomechanics & Posture

Ergonomic tips to play without tension or fatigue (A6)

Standard Position

The shape in numbers

Item	In this chord
Frets	fret 2
Fretting fingers	4
Open	5th
Muted	6th

What to check

The open 5th string sits next to a fretting finger.

What every chord shares is in the fingering reading.

Transitions & Pivot Fingers

Most common chord transitions from A6

Listen: A6 → A · Bm · E7

A6 → A01

Pivot / Anchor Finger:3 fingers stay

Stay in place

finger 1: string 4, fret 2
finger 2: string 3, fret 2
finger 3: string 2, fret 2

A6 → Bm02

Pivot / Anchor Finger:1 shared position

Stay in place

string 1, fret 2

Move

string 5, fret 2
string 4, fret 4
string 3, fret 4
string 2, fret 3

A6 → E703

Pivot / Anchor Finger:Full shape change

No finger is shared: place the bass on string 5 first, then the rest of the shape.

Move

finger 2: string 5, fret 2
finger 1: string 3, fret 1

A6 in every key

A6 sits in the scale of 6 keys.

Main shape at a glance

Difficulty: 2/5
Highest fret: 2
Frets the hand covers: 1
Barre: No
Strings that ring: 5/6
Fretting fingers: 4

Major keys

Minor keys

A6 on other instruments

PianoThe same notes on the keyboard.All togetherHear guitar, piano, bass and violin together.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions about the chord (A6)

The questions that come up most when playing this chord

Which strings are played and which are muted in the A6 chord?

To play the A6 chord on guitar, only 5 strings are played, from string 5 to string 1. Muted strings must be gently dampened with the fleshy side of a fretting finger to prevent dissonance.

What is the root bass note of the A6 chord and on which string is it located?

The primary bass note of the A6 chord is its root note: A. In standard guitar tuning (EADGBe), this bass note is located on string 5 at fret 0.

When strumming or fingerpicking, strike this string first.

What notes make up the A6 chord and what is its formula?

The A6 chord is constructed using the 1 - 3 - 5 - 6 formula (Major Sixth). Its constituent pitches are A, C#, E, F#.

How do you prevent the A6 chord from buzzing or sounding muted?

To prevent the A6 chord from buzzing or sounding muted, press the strings using the tips of your fingers at a strict 90-degree hammer angle. Position each finger immediately behind the fret wire with your thumb centered behind the neck.

Study sheet · High resolution

Official A6 chord diagram

A6 guitar chord diagram with fingering for fingers 1 to 4

Download HD sheet

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Other chords in the A family:

Chord A Chord Ab Chord Am Chord A7 Chord Ab7 Chord Amaj7 Chord Abmaj7 Chord Am7