Arpeggio quality

6

The six chord keeps the major triad and adds a major sixth instead of a seventh, which gives it a sweet, vintage openness — the sound of swing rhythm guitar, early rock and roll and country shuffles. With no seventh, it is not pulling anywhere: it sits calmly on the tonic and lets the melody move. The sixth is the same note as the thirteenth an octave lower, so this quality is the doorway to the richer 6/9 and 13 sounds. On the neck the shape is compact and forgiving, which makes it a good first extended arpeggio. Listen for how the added note softens the triad without darkening it.