I have a chord that is a bit awkward to play. It is the C6 chord and I am using it in a Kansas City Shuffle (DA-DA-DA DA-DA DI-DA-DI-DA I hope you get the shuffle feel...(think Bill Halley and the Comets Rock Around the Clock
Anyway the fingering I have for the C6 is this:
e-----8-----------
B-----10--------
G-----9--------
D-----10-------
A------------------
E-----8--------
There isn't anything shown on the A string so I assume you mute it but it doesn't sound right? Also do you barre the 8th fret or use your thumb?
The next chord in the progression is the F7 played:
e-----8-----------
B-----10--------
G-----8--------
D-----10-------
A-----8-------------
E-------------
Thanks
Well, strictly speaking... that's not exactly a C6 chord. C6 would have the notes C-E-G-A, and you have C-C-E-A-C... which is an Am triad. C6 is close, but it's the same as Am7 - although fifths are often dropped from voicings, four note chords usuallly have all four notes, so you'd probably want a G note in there somewhere.
At any rate, when I play a fingering like that, I barre it - but I 'curve' my index finger so it mutes the A string.
Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL
Well, strictly speaking... that's not exactly a C6 chord. C6 would have the notes C-E-G-A, and you have C-C-E-A-C... which is an Am triad. C6 is close, but it's the same as Am7 - although fifths are often dropped from voicings, four note chords usuallly have all four notes, so you'd probably want a G note in there somewhere.
At any rate, when I play a fingering like that, I barre it - but I 'curve' my index finger so it mutes the A string.
Thank Noteboat...that's hoe Dave Rubin wrote it in his book "The Art of the Shuffle" so that's why I said it was a C6....
I tried muting it earlier however it just didn't sound right...I could hear the "thud" of the muted string and the recording I have you can't hear it...
For me, I usually (but not always) play that '6th' chord shape with my thumb on the bass string. Actually, if I'm playing with a band, I may skip the bass note all together and just play the top four strings.
While technically not a 6th chord, I'd consider that formation a 6th chord in context...you often see the 5th dropped in the 6th (1-3-6) and 7th (1-3-7) chords.
In some positions, the 6th and 7th can be easily played on the same string that the 5th was on - sort of like "replacing" the 5th with the 6th or 7th - IIRC, Leavitt's Berklee guitar books have several progressions where you use three note chords - 1-3-5, 1-3-6, 1-3-7. Also, the "Freddie Green" three-note rhythm chords come to mind - no 5th in the 6th and 7th chords.
As NoteBoat mentioned, the 5th is commonly dropped, and due to the way the guitar is tuned, it's not uncommon to drop the 5th even in four-note chords like 6ths and 7ths, depending on what kind of voicing or sound you want. It's also quite possible in a band situation some else may be playing the 5th anyway. Whether the 5th is in a 6th chord doesn't really change it's "flavor."
Just a 2 cents, no more :)
