About the B♭6 chord
The major sixth adds the sixth to a major chord. It is a sweet, settled sound heard in jazz, country and old pop, and a common way to finish a song on the home chord. The symbol for it is B♭6. (also written A♯6)
How to play B♭6
- Put your index finger on the A string at fret 1.
- Put your middle finger on the high E string at fret 1.
- Put your ring finger on the D string at fret 3.
- Put your little finger on the B string at fret 3.
- Strum and let the G string ring open, and don't play the low E string.
1 index · 2 middle · 3 ring · 4 little
Chords in the key of B♭ major
These are the chords built on each note of the B♭ major scale, so they all sound good together with B♭6. The Roman numeral under each one is its position in the key.
Other B♭ chords
B♭6 chord questions
What notes are in a B♭6 chord?
B♭6 is made of B♭, D, F and G. In intervals that is 1, 3, 5, 6 above the root, B♭.
What is the easiest way to play B♭6?
The first shape above is the most common one: x 1 3 0 3 1 from the low E string to the high E, where x means don't play that string and 0 means play it open. Start there, and try the other shapes once it feels comfortable.
Is B♭6 a barre chord?
The main shape above is an open chord with no barre. Some of the other shapes further up the neck do use a barre, which lets you move the same shape to any key.