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Guitar chords · Minor 6th

E♭m6 chord on guitar (Ebm6)

E♭m6 (E♭ minor 6th) has four notes: E♭, G♭, B♭ and C, the , ♭3, 5 and 6.

Shapes

How to play E♭m6

Strum a shape to hear it, or pick it one string at a time. R marks the ; the other numbers are the chord tones.

E♭m6 has no common . Play it as the A shape at 6 or the E shape at fret 11. A keeps its fingering anywhere on the neck: slide it up or down and the , on the lowest played string, names the chord.

  • A shape · fret 6

    5fr××R6♭35E♭CG♭B♭
  • E shape · fret 11

    11frR5R♭36RE♭B♭E♭G♭CE♭
Name a shape you're holding: the chord finder

Notes and formula

What makes E♭m6 minor 6th

A minor 6th chord adds a major 6th to a minor chord. The 6th gives it a dark, slightly mysterious colour heard in jazz, bossa nova and film music.

  • 1Root: the note the chord is named after. Keep it.
  • 3Essential: makes the chord what it is. Never drop it.
  • 5Optional: drop it first when you run out of fingers.

The ♭3rd and the 6th make E♭m6 a minor 6th chord; you can leave out the 5th.

  1. E♭Rroot
  2. G♭♭3essential
  3. B♭5optional
  4. C6essential
EADGBE0135791215E♭E♭E♭E♭E♭E♭E♭G♭B♭CG♭B♭CG♭B♭CG♭B♭CB♭CG♭B♭CG♭B♭CG♭B♭CG♭
  • E♭, the root
  • Other chord tones

E♭m6 and D♯m6 are the same chord with two names: same , same sound. Which one you see depends on the key the song is written in.

Keys

Keys with E♭m6

E♭m6 belongs to two keys: D♭ major (ii6) and B♭ minor (iv6).

Numerals follow the key's own scale, so III, VI and VII in a minor key are its own major chords. A ♭ or ♯ in front marks a chord from outside the key. How Roman numerals work

Slash chords

E♭m6 over another bass note

A keeps E♭m6 on top and puts another note in the bass: the letter after the slash is the lowest note you play.

  • E♭m6/G♭

    E♭m6 with its ♭3rd, G♭, in the bass.

  • E♭m6/B♭

    E♭m6 with its 5th, B♭, in the bass.

Questions

E♭m6, in short

What notes are in the E♭m6 chord?
E♭m6 (E♭ minor 6th) has four notes: E♭, G♭, B♭ and C, the , ♭3, 5 and 6.
How do you play E♭m6 on guitar?
E♭m6 has no common . Play it as the A shape at 6 or the E shape at fret 11.
What key is E♭m6 in?
E♭m6 belongs to two keys: D♭ major (ii6) and B♭ minor (iv6).
Is E♭m6 the same as D♯m6?
Yes: same frets, same sound, different name. E♭m6 is the spelling in D♭ major and B♭ minor; D♯m6 in C♯ major and A♯ minor, which most players write as D♭ major and B♭ minor.
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