Pedal Steel Atlas

E9 pedal steel chord

E6 on pedal steel

E major 6th · 2,812 voicings on standard E9

Easiest E6 on E9 pedal steel: bar on fret 5, press E→E♭ lever, pick strings 3, 4 & 5 (C♯–G♯–E).

  • E, root
  • G♯, 3rd
  • B, 5th
  • C♯, 6th

Where you’ll hear it: The classic Western swing ending — the major 6th is the whole idea behind the C6 tuning.

These grips also spell C♯m — same notes, different name.

Start here: 3 grips to learn first

Every move is described by what it does to the strings, so these work on any E9 guitar. If your levers are wired differently, use the one that makes the same change.

Fret 5 · E→E♭ lever

Easiest
  1. Bar on fret 5 (or 17)
  2. Push the E→E♭ lever — left knee, pushing right (LKR) on most guitars
  3. Pick strings 3 · 4 · 5 — C♯ G♯ E
Tab:
string 3fret 5
string 4fret 5E→E♭
string 5fret 5
Open in the app →

Fret 12 · A pedal

Pedals
  1. Bar on fret 12 (or 24)
  2. Press the A pedal (B→C♯)
  3. Pick strings 3 · 4 · 5 — G♯ E C♯
Tab:
string 3fret 12
string 4fret 12
string 5fret 12A
Open in the app →

Fret 7 · B + C pedals

Pedals
  1. Bar on fret 7 (or 19)
  2. Press the B pedal (G♯→A)
  3. Press the C pedal (E→F♯ + B→C♯)
  4. Pick strings 3 · 4 · 5 — E C♯ G♯
Tab:
string 3fret 7B
string 4fret 7C
string 5fret 7C
Open in the app →

More grips up the neck

Low neck · frets 0–7

Open strings · A pedal

  1. No bar — open strings (or bar on fret 12)
  2. Press the A pedal (B→C♯)
  3. Pick strings 5 · 6 · 8 — C♯ G♯ E

Fret 5 · E→E♭ lever + G♯→F♯ lever

  1. Bar on fret 5 (or 17)
  2. Push the E→E♭ lever — left knee, pushing right (LKR) on most guitars
  3. Push a lever that lowers string 6 (G♯→F♯) — not on every guitar; right knee, pushing left (RKL) on most newer guitars
  4. Pick strings 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 — C♯ G♯ E B
  • Needs a lever that lowers string 6 (G♯→F♯) — not on every guitar.

Open strings · D lever (past the stop)

  1. No bar — open strings (or bar on fret 12)
  2. Push the D lever (past the stop) (D♯→C♯ + D→C♯) — right knee, pushing right (RKR) on most guitars
  3. Pick strings 2 · 3 · 4 — C♯ G♯ E

Mid neck · frets 5–12

Fret 12 · C pedal

  1. Bar on fret 12 (or 24)
  2. Press the C pedal (E→F♯ + B→C♯)
  3. Pick strings 5 · 6 · 8 — C♯ G♯ E

Fret 12 · D lever (past the stop)

  1. Bar on fret 12 (or 24)
  2. Push the D lever (past the stop) (D♯→C♯ + D→C♯) — right knee, pushing right (RKR) on most guitars
  3. Pick strings 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 — C♯ G♯ E B

Fret 7 · B pedal + D lever (past the stop)

  1. Bar on fret 7 (or 19)
  2. Press the B pedal (G♯→A)
  3. Push the D lever (past the stop) (D♯→C♯ + D→C♯) — right knee, pushing right (RKR) on most guitars
  4. Pick strings 1 · 2 · 3 — C♯ G♯ E

High neck · frets 10–17

Fret 17 · E→E♭ lever

  1. Bar on fret 17 (or 5)
  2. Push the E→E♭ lever — left knee, pushing right (LKR) on most guitars
  3. Pick strings 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 — C♯ G♯ E C♯

Fret 12 · A pedal + D♯→E lever

  1. Bar on fret 12 (or 24)
  2. Press the A pedal (B→C♯)
  3. Push a lever that raises string 2 (D♯→E) — not on every guitar; right knee, pushing left (RKL) on most newer guitars
  4. Pick strings 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 — E G♯ E C♯
  • Needs a lever that raises string 2 (D♯→E) — not on every guitar.

Fret 12 · A pedal + D lever (past the stop)

  1. Bar on fret 12 (or 24)
  2. Press the A pedal (B→C♯)
  3. Push the D lever (past the stop) (D♯→C♯ + D→C♯) — right knee, pushing right (RKR) on most guitars
  4. Pick strings 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 — C♯ G♯ E C♯

Is your guitar set up differently?

Players wire their knee levers in different places, so this page names every change by what it does. Find the pedal or lever on your guitar that makes the same change — the name on yours doesn’t matter.

ChangeWhat it does · usually found
A pedalB→C♯Raises your B strings (5 & 10) a whole step to C♯.Usually: the A pedal on almost every E9 guitar
B pedalG♯→ARaises your G♯ strings (3 & 6) a half step to A.Usually: the B pedal on almost every E9 guitar
C pedalE→F♯ + B→C♯Raises string 4 (E) to F♯ and string 5 (B) to C♯ — a whole step each.Usually: the C pedal on almost every E9 guitar
E→E♭ leverE→E♭Lowers your E strings (4 & 8) a half step to E♭.Usually: left knee, pushing right (LKR) on most guitars
F♯ & D♯ raise leverF♯→G♯ + D♯→E + G♯→F♯Raises string 1 (F♯) a whole step to G♯ and string 2 (D♯) a half step to E, and lowers string 6 (G♯) a whole step to F♯.Usually: right knee, pushing left (RKL) on most newer guitarsNot on every guitarOlder and student guitars often raise strings 1 & 7 F♯→G instead, and some players keep the 6th-string lower on another lever.
D lever (past the stop)D♯→C♯ + D→C♯The same lever pushed past its half-stop: takes string 2 (D♯) on down to C♯ and brings in string 9 (D), a half step down to C♯.Usually: right knee, pushing right (RKR) on most guitarsA few student and older guitars stop at D, with no C♯ position.

Pick your setup in Pedal Steel Atlas (it's free) — one of the built-in copedents, or your own exact one — and it re-voices every chord for your pedals and levers — open E6 in the app → or compare common setups.

How to read the diagrams

  • Diamond = the root (the note the chord is named after). Other notes are colored by their job in the chord, like the chips above.
  • Blue string = a pedal or lever changes it. The label on the left shows the new note (E→F).
  • Dashed line = the bar. Lay the steel directly over that fret, not between frets.
  • Colored pedal or lever = press it. String 1 is the one farthest from you; string 10 is nearest.

Keep exploring

More E chords

Major 6th in every key

Pedal Steel Atlas

Every E6 voicing — on your guitar

  • Your setup. Pick a built-in copedent — or build your exact one, free — and every chord re-voices for your guitar.
  • Real steel tone. Hear every grip and the pedal moves between them.
  • Find the one you need. Filter by top note, bass string, or the changes you want to avoid.
  • From chord to tab. Drop any grip into a tab and play it back.
Open E6 in the appRuns right in your browser — nothing to install.