What note does F#6 add to the plain major triad?

D#, a major sixth above the root, which softens the chord's landing compared to a plain triad and gives it a vintage, vamp-like character common in older Hawaiian ukulele repertoire.

Is F#6 related to any minor seventh chord?

Yes — it shares three notes with D#m7 (F#, A#, and C#), so the two chords can substitute for each other in some harmonic contexts, a relationship that holds for any major sixth and its relative minor seventh.

Why does F#6 use a barre instead of the closed four-finger F# major shape?

Adding the sixth note pushes the most efficient voicing up to the third fret with a barre covering two strings, rather than the tighter closed shape plain F# major uses lower on the neck.

When is F#6 used instead of plain F# major?

Most often at the end of a phrase or song, where its softer, more suspended color makes for a gentler landing than a plain triad's harder resolution.

← Ukulele Chords

F#6 Chord on Ukulele

F#6 = F# – A# – C# – D# (Root, Major 3rd, Perfect 5th, Major 6th)

F#6 adds a major sixth, D#, above the F# major triad, and the resulting shape barres the G and C strings together at the third fret, adds the E string at the second, and the A string at the fourth — a moderate stretch across three frets rather than a tight cluster. The sixth's addition gives the chord four notes total while keeping the underlying triad's major quality intact.

Sixth chords carry an unmistakably vintage, almost old-Hawaiian-vamp character on ukulele, since 6th chords were a favorite closing sound in early 20th-century Hawaiian and hapa haole repertoire — a gentler, more sustained alternative to a plain major triad's harder landing. F#6 also shares three of its four notes with D#m7 (both chords contain F#, A#, and C#), a relationship that lets the two substitute for each other in some contexts, since a sixth chord and the minor seventh chord built on its sixth scale degree are functionally close cousins. As a tonic substitute, F#6 softens a straightforward F# major resolution into something a little more suspended and open-ended, useful at the close of a phrase rather than mid-progression.

Fingerings

Mid-Neck Position

How to Practice It

The barre spans only the G and C strings, but the E string's second fret sits between the barre and the A string's fourth-fret note, so the middle finger has to work independently in that gap without disturbing either neighbor. Because this shape and F#'s closed four-finger major triad occupy different fret ranges, don't expect to slide directly between them — treat F#6 as its own hand position learned from scratch rather than a small variation on the plain triad. A useful context drill is ending a short I-IV-V phrase in F# major on this chord instead of the plain triad, listening for how much softer the cadence feels.

Common Progressions

I – IV – V – I(6), ending an F# major phrase on the softer sixth-chord color
F#6 substituting for D#m7 in a ii-V-I context resolving to C#
A vintage vamp move: I(6) – V7 – I(6), common in older Hawaiian-style repertoire
IV(6) – I, using F#6 as a softened plagal color in C# major

FAQ

What note does F#6 add to the plain major triad?: D#, a major sixth above the root, which softens the chord's landing compared to a plain triad and gives it a vintage, vamp-like character common in older Hawaiian ukulele repertoire.
Is F#6 related to any minor seventh chord?: Yes — it shares three notes with D#m7 (F#, A#, and C#), so the two chords can substitute for each other in some harmonic contexts, a relationship that holds for any major sixth and its relative minor seventh.
Why does F#6 use a barre instead of the closed four-finger F# major shape?: Adding the sixth note pushes the most efficient voicing up to the third fret with a barre covering two strings, rather than the tighter closed shape plain F# major uses lower on the neck.
When is F#6 used instead of plain F# major?: Most often at the end of a phrase or song, where its softer, more suspended color makes for a gentler landing than a plain triad's harder resolution.

F#6 on other instruments: F#6 on Guitar, F#6 on Piano. Related: how chords are built, chord finder.