What notes are in a B6 chord?

B6 contains four notes: B (root), D♯ (major third), F♯ (perfect fifth), and G♯ (major sixth).

Is B6 the same as G♯ minor 7?

Enharmonically yes — same four pitches. B6 has B as root (major tonic); G♯m7 has G♯ as root (minor 7th).

How is B6 different from Bmaj7?

Only the top note changes. B6 has G♯ (major sixth); Bmaj7 has A♯ (major seventh). B6 sounds softer.

When does B6 appear in music?

In jazz tunes transposed to B major for vocal range, in F♯-major arrangements (as the IV), and in late-Romantic classical music as a chromatic colour.

B major 6 chord — notes, intervals, and practice

B6 — B, D♯, F♯, G♯ — is a B major triad with an added major sixth. The chord uses four sharps. It's enharmonic to G♯ minor 7 and appears in jazz tunes transposed to B major for vocal range.

Intervals

The B major 6 chord stacks two thirds on the root. Each interval and its size in semitones:

B→D#major 3rd4 semitones
D#→F#minor 3rd3 semitones
F#→G#major 2nd2 semitones

On the keyboard

Each note of the B major 6 chord highlighted on a piano. Pitch class is what matters — any octave works.

On the guitar

One voicing of the B major 6 chord on a six-string guitar fretboard.

Common mistakes

B6 has G♯ as its sixth — a half-step lower than Bmaj7 (which has A♯). On guitar, B6 is typically a 2nd-fret A-shape barre with the standard voicing adjusted.

In context

B6 is the I chord in B major (often used as a softer tonic). Jazz tunes transposed to B for vocal range often resolve to B6 at final cadences. The chord also serves as the IV in F♯ major.

Drill it

The B major 6 chord is one of 48 in the Chord Trainer. Open the full trainer to practice it alongside related chords with timing and best-time tracking.

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Frequently asked

What notes are in a B6 chord?: B6 contains four notes: B (root), D♯ (major third), F♯ (perfect fifth), and G♯ (major sixth).
Is B6 the same as G♯ minor 7?: Enharmonically yes — same four pitches. B6 has B as root (major tonic); G♯m7 has G♯ as root (minor 7th).
How is B6 different from Bmaj7?: Only the top note changes. B6 has G♯ (major sixth); Bmaj7 has A♯ (major seventh). B6 sounds softer.
When does B6 appear in music?: In jazz tunes transposed to B major for vocal range, in F♯-major arrangements (as the IV), and in late-Romantic classical music as a chromatic colour.