Bb6 Bb major sixth chord
- Notes
- Bb D F G
- Formula
- 1 3 5 6
- Semitones
- 0 4 7 9 above the root
- Also written
- A#6 (A# C## E# F##)
- Other symbols
- BbM6, Bbmaj6
Bb to D is a major third (4 semitones), D to F is a minor third (3 semitones), F to G is a major second (2 semitones). A major triad plus the major sixth, G, nine semitones above Bb. With G in the bass the same four keys read as Gm7: which name fits depends on the bass note.
Bb6 on the piano
Root position from Bb4: Bb4, D5, F5, G5. Middle C is C4.
Bb6 on the guitar
Standard tuning (E A D G B E). Strings run low E on the left to high e on the right, frets downwards; × is a muted string, ○ an open string, and each dot shows the note it sounds, with the root in blue-green. Every shape below has Bb as its lowest note.
x 1 3 3 3 3 (low E to high e)
Sounds Bb2 F3 Bb3 D4 G4
6 x 5 7 6 x (low E to high e)
Sounds Bb2 G3 D4 F4
The E-shape and A-shape grips are movable: an E-shape chord's root is the note under your first finger on the low E string, an A-shape chord's root is the note on the A string. Slide the same grip up or down to play major sixth chords on other roots.
Inversions of Bb6
An inversion puts a note other than the root in the bass. The name is what semicord's chord finder calls those notes played bottom to top; a slash name like C/E means a C chord with E in the bass.
| Position | Notes, bass first | Named | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Root position | Bb D F G | Bb6 | |
| 1st inversion | D F G Bb | Gm7/D (also read as Bb6/D) | |
| 2nd inversion | F G Bb D | Gm7/F (also read as Bb6/F) | |
| 3rd inversion | G Bb D F | Gm7 (also read as Bb6/G) |
Where Bb6 fits
Bb6 is I6 in Bb major, IV6 in F major. As a final tonic chord it is the swing-era and early rock and roll alternative to Bbmaj7: the sixth, G, adds colour without the half-step rub between Bb and a major seventh.