Gm6 G minor sixth chord
- Notes
- G Bb D E
- Formula
- 1 b3 5 6
- Semitones
- 0 3 7 9 above the root
- Other symbols
- Gmin6, G−6
G to Bb is a minor third (3 semitones), Bb to D is a major third (4 semitones), D to E is a major second (2 semitones). A minor triad plus the major sixth, E. The sixth and the minor third Bb are a tritone apart, which gives the chord its dark, unresolved colour. With E in the bass the same four keys read as Em7b5.
Gm6 on the piano
Root position from G4: G4, Bb4, D5, E5. Middle C is C4.
Gm6 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 G as its lowest note.
3 x 2 3 3 x (low E to high e)
Sounds G2 E3 Bb3 D4
x 10 x 9 11 10 (low E to high e)
Sounds G3 E4 Bb4 D5
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 Gm6
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 | G Bb D E | Gm6 | |
| 1st inversion | Bb D E G | Em7b5/Bb (also read as Gm6/Bb) | |
| 2nd inversion | D E G Bb | Em7b5/D (also read as Gm6/D) | |
| 3rd inversion | E G Bb D | Em7b5 (also read as Gm6/E) |
Where Gm6 fits
Gm6 is ii6 in F major, iv6 in D minor, i6 in G minor. As i6 it is the tonic chord of a minor key when the melody uses the raised sixth of the melodic minor scale, E; many jazz tunes in minor end on it rather than on Gm7.