Dm6 D minor sixth chord
- Notes
- D F A B
- Formula
- 1 b3 5 6
- Semitones
- 0 3 7 9 above the root
- Other symbols
- Dmin6, D−6
D to F is a minor third (3 semitones), F to A is a major third (4 semitones), A to B is a major second (2 semitones). A minor triad plus the major sixth, B. The sixth and the minor third F are a tritone apart, which gives the chord its dark, unresolved colour. With B in the bass the same four keys read as Bm7b5.
Dm6 on the piano
Root position from D4: D4, F4, A4, B4. Middle C is C4.
Dm6 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 D as its lowest note.
x x 0 2 0 1 (low E to high e)
Sounds D3 A3 B3 F4
x 5 x 4 6 5 (low E to high e)
Sounds D3 B3 F4 A4
10 x 9 10 10 x (low E to high e)
Sounds D3 B3 F4 A4
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 minor sixth chords on other roots.
Inversions of Dm6
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 | D F A B | Dm6 | |
| 1st inversion | F A B D | Bm7b5/F (also read as Dm6/F) | |
| 2nd inversion | A B D F | Bm7b5/A (also read as Dm6/A) | |
| 3rd inversion | B D F A | Bm7b5 (also read as Dm6/B) |
Where Dm6 fits
Dm6 is ii6 in C major, iv6 in A minor, i6 in D minor. As i6 it is the tonic chord of a minor key when the melody uses the raised sixth of the melodic minor scale, B; many jazz tunes in minor end on it rather than on Dm7.