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E♭6

Character: sweet

  1. E♭Rtriad
  2. G3triad
  3. B♭5triad
  4. C6add
Open E♭6 in the chord libraryDownload the E♭6 chart (PDF)
Voicings

12 ways to play E♭6

Every voicing sits inside one of the five CAGED shapes, low to high on the neck, with its octave doublings in grey.

  • Triad note
  • Substitute
  • Added
  • Anchored root
  • Bass
  • Doubling
CC shape 1st inversion E♭6/G
3 4 5 6 5 R 6 3 5 R

Frets x 6 5 5 4 6Notes G C E♭Intervals 3 6 1Base triadE♭ major, 1st inversion

The 6th takes the 5th’s string.

CC shape Root position E♭6
3 4 5 6 5 6 3 R

Frets x 6 5 5 x xNotes E♭ G CIntervals 1 3 6Base triadE♭ major, root position

The 6th takes the 5th’s string.

CC shape 2nd inversion E♭6/B♭
3 4 5 6 6 3 R 5

Frets 6 6 5 5 x xNotes B♭ E♭ G CIntervals 5 1 3 6Base triadE♭ major, 2nd inversion

The 6th gets a string of its own.

AA shape 2nd inversion E♭6/B♭
6 7 8 9 6 3 R 5 R

Frets x 6 8 8 8 8Notes B♭ E♭ G CIntervals 5 1 3 6Base triadE♭ major, 2nd inversion

The 6th gets a string of its own.

AA shape Root position E♭6
6 7 8 9 5 6 3 R

Frets x x x 8 8 8Notes E♭ G CIntervals 1 3 6Base triadE♭ major, root position

The 6th takes the 5th’s string.

GG shape 1st inversion E♭6/G
8 9 10 11 5 R 6 3 R 3 R

Frets 11 10 10 8 8 11Notes G C E♭Intervals 3 6 1Base triadE♭ major, 1st inversion

The 6th takes the 5th’s string.

GG shape Root position E♭6
8 9 10 11 5 6 3 R R 5 3

Frets 11 10 10 0 11 11Notes E♭ G CIntervals 1 3 6Base triadE♭ major, root position

The 6th takes the 5th’s string.

EE shape 2nd inversion E♭6/B♭
1 2 3 4 6 3 R 5

Frets x 1 1 0 1 xNotes B♭ E♭ G CIntervals 5 1 3 6Base triadE♭ major, 2nd inversion

The 6th gets a string of its own.

EE shape 1st inversion E♭6/G
1 2 3 4 5 6 R 5 3 3 R

Frets 3 1 1 5 4 3Notes G B♭ E♭ CIntervals 3 5 1 6Base triadE♭ major, 1st inversion

The 6th gets a string of its own.

EE shape 1st inversion E♭6/G
11 12 13 14 5 R 6 3 R

Frets 11 x x 12 13 11Notes G C E♭Intervals 3 6 1Base triadE♭ major, 1st inversion

The 6th takes the 5th’s string.

DD shape 2nd inversion E♭6/C
1 2 3 4 5 5 3 R 6

Frets x x x 5 4 3Notes C E♭ GIntervals 6 1 3Base triadE♭ major, 2nd inversion

The 6th takes the 5th’s string.

DD shape 2nd inversion AnchoredE♭6
1 2 3 4 R 3 6 5 R

Frets x x 1 3 1 3Notes E♭ B♭ C GIntervals 1 5 6 3Base triadE♭ major, 2nd inversion

The root drops to the string below the triad. The 6th takes the root’s string.

The rules

The construction rules E♭6 follows

  1. Start from a triad

    Root, 3rd and 5th, stacked in thirds. The 3rd makes it major or minor; the 5th makes it diminished or augmented when it moves.

  2. No 7th, no stack

    6, add9, add11 and 6/9 are a triad with a colour note, not a stack. Without a 7th the chord sounds open rather than jazzy.

  3. On guitar, something has to give

    Each extension takes the string of a triad note that matters less, usually the 5th, or gets a string of its own. The root and 3rd stay: they say what the chord is.

  4. The root can move down

    When an extension needs the root’s string, the root can drop to the string below the triad: an anchored voicing keeps the bass and frees a string on top.

All the rules, with examples, in the guide to the chord library.

Major 6th in every key

More chords on E♭

E♭6 chord questions

What notes are in E♭6?

E♭6 is spelled E♭ G B♭ C: E♭ is the root, G is the 3rd, B♭ is the 5th, C is the 6th.

What is the formula of E♭6?

1 3 5 6. It is a E♭ major triad with the 6th stacked on top.

How many ways can you play E♭6 on guitar?

This page shows 12 voicings of E♭6, filed under the five CAGED shapes and named by inversion, from the open position up to the 16th fret.