Explore chords · Bass
A♭ minor 6th chord on bass (A♭m6)
Also called or written A♭m6, A♭min6, A♭min maj6 or A♭ Minor Major 6
A♭ minor 6th is built from A♭, C♭, E♭, and F. The 7-8-6-8 shape requires precise finger independence.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, 5, 6
- Root positionA♭–C♭–E♭–FA♭m6no shape on this instrument
- First inversionC♭–E♭–F–A♭A♭m6/C♭7-8-6-8
- Second inversionE♭–F–A♭–C♭A♭m6/E♭11-11-9-10
- Third inversionF–A♭–C♭–E♭A♭m6/F1-2-1-1
How do you play an A♭ minor 6th chord on bass?
A♭ minor 6th is played at the 6th fret as 7 8 6 8: middle finger on the E string at fret 7, ring finger on the A string at fret 8, index finger on the D string at fret 6 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 8.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 7 | 2 | C♭ (♭3) |
| 3 (A) | 8 | 3 | F (6) |
| 2 (D) | 6 | 1 | A♭ (1) |
| 1 (G) | 8 | 4 | E♭ (5) |
AdvancedThe wide stretch between the index on fret 6 and pinky on fret 8 taxes smaller hands.
A♭min6/E♭ inversion
A♭ minor 6th is played at the 9th fret as 11 11 9 10: ring finger on the E string at fret 11, pinky finger on the A string at fret 11, index finger on the D string at fret 9 and middle finger on the G string at fret 10.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 11 | 3 | E♭ (5) |
| 3 (A) | 11 | 4 | A♭ (1) |
| 2 (D) | 9 | 1 | C♭ (♭3) |
| 1 (G) | 10 | 2 | F (6) |
A♭min6/F inversion · fret 1
A♭ minor 6th is played at the 1st fret as 1 2 1 1: index finger on the E string at fret 1, pinky finger on the A string at fret 2, middle finger on the D string at fret 1 and ring finger on the G string at fret 1.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 1 | 1 | F (6) |
| 3 (A) | 2 | 4 | C♭ (♭3) |
| 2 (D) | 1 | 2 | E♭ (5) |
| 1 (G) | 1 | 3 | A♭ (1) |
A♭min6/F inversion · fret 13
A♭ minor 6th is played at the 13th fret as 13 14 13 13: index finger on the E string at fret 13, pinky finger on the A string at fret 14, middle finger on the D string at fret 13 and ring finger on the G string at fret 13.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 13 | 1 | F (6) |
| 3 (A) | 14 | 4 | C♭ (♭3) |
| 2 (D) | 13 | 2 | E♭ (5) |
| 1 (G) | 13 | 3 | A♭ (1) |
Why it sounds like that
A♭ minor 6th uses the 1, ♭3, 5, 6 formula, adding F to the A♭ minor triad. The major sixth interval gives it a bright, unresolved color. Compare with A♭ minor to hear the difference.
What goes wrong with A♭ minor 6th?
- Letting the index finger collapse and buzz the 2nd string.
- Allowing the pinky to touch the 1st string, deadening the F.
- Strumming the open 5th string, which adds an unwanted A♭.
When to use it
A♭ minor 6th works as a tonic in A♭ minor progressions, especially in jazz and blues. Try it in a i–iv–v with A♭ minor and E♭ minor. It also suits dorian grooves.
Changing to and from A♭ minor 6th
- Sliding the shape down two frets to the 6th fret gives F♯ minor 6th.
- Sliding the shape up one fret to the 7th fret gives A minor 6th.
Which voicing to use
The C♭ inversion at fret 7 puts the ♭3 in the bass, softening the chord. The F inversion at fret 1 gives a brighter, more open sound. Choose the E♭ inversion at fret 11 for a middle register.
Other A♭ chords
Common questions
How is A♭ minor 6th written?
A♭ minor 6th is written A♭m6, min maj6, or A♭min6. The root is A♭, also written Ab. It is also called Minor Major 6. It is also spelled G♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between A♭ minor 6th and A♭ minor 7th?
A♭ minor 6th has F, while A♭ minor 7th has G♭. The sixth creates a brighter, more melodic tension than the seventh. Use minor 6th for a dorian or melodic minor sound.
Can I play A♭ minor 6th with a barre?
The supplied positions do not use a barre. The finger plan assigns one finger per string. A barre would make the stretch harder.
Why does the F inversion sound different?
The F inversion puts the sixth in the bass, creating a first-inversion feel. It is less stable than the C♭ inversion and works well as a passing chord.