Build the sound
Play E – G♯ – B – C♯ individually, then choose a shell voicing above. Sing the highest note before playing the chord.
Voicings · E6 · Piano
E6 voicings on piano
E6 is spelled E – G♯ – B – C♯ (1 3 5 6) — a tonic alternative to maj7, especially on the last chord of a tune. Here are 6 ways to voice it on piano: close position, drop 2, drop 3, shell, rootless a, rootless b. Every diagram is playable — press play to hear the chord, or “roll it” to hear the voices one by one, low to high.
The voicings
6 ways to play E6.
SoundRoot in gold, other voices in teal. Tap any note.
Close position
E · G♯ · BRoot, third, fifth and seventh stacked within one octave — the reference voicing (piano; too tight to finger on guitar).
Drop 2
B · E · G♯Take the close voicing and drop its second-highest voice an octave. The most-used four-note voicing on guitar and in piano left hands.
Drop 3
G♯ · E · BDrop the third-highest voice of the close voicing an octave: a wide, open sound.
Shell (1–7–3)
E · G♯Root, seventh and third only. The fifth is dropped — it adds nothing to the chord's identity — leaving a light, clear voicing.
Rootless A (3–5–7–9)
G♯ · B · F♯Bill Evans-style left-hand voicing: the third on the bottom, the ninth on top, the bass player supplies the root.
Rootless B (7–9–3–5)
F♯ · G♯ · BThe companion rootless voicing with the seventh on the bottom. Alternate A and B so the top voice moves by step through a ii–V–I.
Your next 10 minutes
Make E Major 6th part of your playing
Change the top note
Compare the displayed voicings of E6. Notice which note is highest in each. Repeat the two shapes with the smallest comfortable hand movement, leaving a beat of silence between them.
Comp with space
Play E6 on beats 2 and 4 at 60 bpm for four bars, then on the “and” of beat 2 for four bars. Keep the same notes while changing the rhythm. Keep the left-hand shape above the lowest octave so the voices remain clear.
Listen for this: The chord tones are E, G♯, B, C♯. a tonic alternative to maj7, especially on the last chord of a tune. A fuller voicing is not automatically better: leave room for the melody and bass.
Understand the sound
E6: from a pattern to a musical choice
What gives E6 its identity?
The sixth replaces the major seventh. Compare the softer root-and-sixth relationship with the half-step tension of a major seventh.
Here the third is G♯, and degree 6 is C♯. Play E in the bass and compare these voices individually before combining them.
Choose a useful voicing
Start with the smallest displayed shape you can play cleanly. Move its highest note into a comfortable register and listen for a clear melody above the chord.
Separate the bass from the upper notes. If the low register sounds muddy, move the upper voices up an octave before adding more notes.
Your piano checkpoint
The black-key pitches in this collection are G♯, C♯. Use the groups of two and three black keys to orient yourself. Play E and G♯ with each hand separately before combining the hands.
Before moving on, close the diagram and name the notes: E · G♯ · B · C♯. Then play a two-bar phrase from memory and leave two bars of silence.
Behind the voicings
Every E6 chord tone on the keyboard.
Reference
E6 — chord tones & function.
| Chord tone | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | unison |
| 3 | G♯ | major 3rd |
| 5 | B | perfect 5th |
| 6 | C♯ | major 6th |
Arpeggio: E6 arpeggio on piano. Scale: E Major (Ionian).
Take it to the bandstand.Practice Radio streams endless changes to comp E6 through all twelve keys, with the chord and scale shown live — plus ear-training and call & response modes.
▶ Open Practice RadioCommon questions
E6 voicings FAQ.
What notes are in E6?
E, G♯, B, C♯ — chord tones 1 3 5 6. Rootless voicings add the 9th, F♯, and leave the root to the bass.
What is the easiest E6 voicing on piano?
The shell voicing: E – G♯ in the left hand. Three notes that carry the whole identity of the chord.
What is a drop-2 voicing?
Start from the close voicing E G♯ B C♯ and drop the second note from the top an octave: B – E – G♯. It spreads the chord so it fits the hand — and on guitar it fits four adjacent strings.
Where does E6 appear?
E6 is a tonic alternative to maj7, especially on the last chord of a tune. Its character is open, classic, swing-era.
Keep going
Major 6th voicings in every other key.
Same chord on guitar · Major 6th hub.
Other chords from E