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B minor 6th chord on guitar (Bm6)
Also called or written Bm6, Bmin6, Bmin maj6 or B Minor Major 6
B minor 6th contains B, D, F♯, and G♯. The open voicing is advanced because the ring finger must stretch to the 2nd fret on the high e string while the other fingers hold a close cluster.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, 5, 6
- Root positionB–D–F♯–G♯Bm6×-2-0-1-0-2
- First inversionD–F♯–G♯–BBm6/D×-×-0-1-0-2
- Second inversionF♯–G♯–B–DBm6/F♯2-2-0-1-0-2
- Third inversionG♯–B–D–F♯Bm6/G♯4-5-4-4-×-×
How do you play a B minor 6th chord on guitar?
B minor 6th is played in open position as × 2 0 1 0 2: middle finger on the A string at fret 2, index finger on the G string at fret 1 and ring finger on the high e string at fret 2. The D and B strings ring open. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 2 | B (1) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (♭3) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 1 | G♯ (6) |
| 2 (B) | open | — | B (1) |
| 1 (e) | 2 | 3 | F♯ (5) |
AdvancedThe ring finger must stretch to the 2nd fret on the high e string while the other fingers hold a close cluster on the A and G strings.
Open · ×-2-0-1-3-2
B minor 6th is played in open position as × 2 0 1 3 2: middle finger on the A string at fret 2, index finger on the G string at fret 1, pinky finger on the B string at fret 3 and ring finger on the high e string at fret 2. The D string rings open. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 2 | 2 | B (1) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (♭3) |
| 3 (G) | 1 | 1 | G♯ (6) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 4 | D (♭3) |
| 1 (e) | 2 | 3 | F♯ (5) |
7th fret
B minor 6th is played at the 7th fret as 7 9 9 7 9 7: barre your index finger across fret 7, middle finger on the A string at fret 9, ring finger on the D string at fret 9 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 9.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 7 | 1 (barre) | B (1) |
| 5 (A) | 9 | 2 | F♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 9 | 3 | B (1) |
| 3 (G) | 7 | 1 (barre) | D (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 4 | G♯ (6) |
| 1 (e) | 7 | 1 (barre) | B (1) |
9th fret
B minor 6th is played at the 9th fret as × × 9 11 9 10: index finger on the D string at fret 9, pinky finger on the G string at fret 11, middle finger on the B string at fret 9 and ring finger on the high e string at fret 10. The low E and A strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | muted | — | — |
| 4 (D) | 9 | 1 | B (1) |
| 3 (G) | 11 | 4 | F♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 9 | 2 | G♯ (6) |
| 1 (e) | 10 | 3 | D (♭3) |
12th fret
B minor 6th is played at the 12th fret as × 14 12 13 12 14: barre your index finger across fret 12, ring finger on the A string at fret 14, middle finger on the G string at fret 13 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 14. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 14 | 3 | B (1) |
| 4 (D) | 12 | 1 (barre) | D (♭3) |
| 3 (G) | 13 | 2 | G♯ (6) |
| 2 (B) | 12 | 1 (barre) | B (1) |
| 1 (e) | 14 | 4 | F♯ (5) |
Why it sounds like that
B minor 6th is built from the formula 1, ♭3, 5, 6. The major 6th, G♯, adds a bright, unresolved colour to the minor triad. Compare it to B minor, which stops at the 5th.
What goes wrong with B minor 6th?
- Letting the ring finger collapse onto the B string and deaden its open note.
- Strumming the low E string, which is muted because its open note is outside the chord.
When to use it
B minor 6th works as a tonic in B minor progressions, such as Bm6–Em6–F♯7. Its bittersweet colour suits jazz ballads and folk fingerpicking. Try it with B minor or B 5th.
Changing to and from B minor 6th
- Move from B minor 6th to B minor by lifting the ring finger off the high e string and letting it ring open.
- Slide the shape down two frets to the 5th fret to play A minor 6th.
Which voicing to use
The open voicing keeps the bass on B and suits strummed passages. The 7th fret barre voicing keeps the same bass note but adds fullness for higher-register lines.
Other B chords
Common questions
How is B minor 6th written?
B minor 6th is written Bm6, min maj6, or Bmin6.
What is the difference between B minor 6th and B minor 7th?
B minor 6th has a major 6th (G♯), while B minor 7th has a minor 7th (A). The 6th gives a brighter, more melodic colour.
Why is the low E string muted in the open voicing?
The low E is muted because its open note is outside the chord. Letting it ring would add a non-chord tone and muddy the voicing.