Tools / Chords / B minor 6th

B minor 6th chord on guitar (Bm6)

Also written Bm6, Bmin6 or Bmin maj6

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.

Open · ×-2-0-1-0-2×-2-0-1-0-2

Positions on the neck1 of 5

How it’s built

B1Root

D♭3Minor 3rd

F♯5Perfect 5th

G♯6Major 6th

Formula 1, ♭3, 5, 6

Positions on the neck1 of 5

Inversions

The same three notes, with a different one in the bass.

Root positionB–D–F♯–G♯Bm6Bass B

First inversionD–F♯–G♯–BBm6/DBass D

Second inversionF♯–G♯–B–DBm6/F♯Bass F♯

Third inversionG♯–B–D–F♯Bm6/G♯Bass G♯

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.

How do you play a B minor 6th chord on guitar?

Open · ×-2-0-1-0-2

Beginner● On the diagram

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.

Tip — The 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.

String-by-string 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)

Open · ×-2-0-1-3-2

Beginner

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.

String-by-string 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

Barre

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.

String-by-string 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

Intermediate

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.

String-by-string 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

Barre

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.

String-by-string 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)

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.

String

Fret

Finger

Note

6 (E)

muted

—

5 (A)

B (1)

4 (D)

open

—

D (♭3)

3 (G)

G♯ (6)

2 (B)

open

—

B (1)

1 (e)

F♯ (5)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

6 (E)

muted

—

5 (A)

B (1)

4 (D)

open

—

D (♭3)

3 (G)

G♯ (6)

2 (B)

D (♭3)

1 (e)

F♯ (5)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

6 (E)

1 (barre)

B (1)

5 (A)

F♯ (5)

4 (D)

B (1)

3 (G)

1 (barre)

D (♭3)

2 (B)

G♯ (6)

1 (e)

1 (barre)

B (1)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

6 (E)

muted

—

5 (A)

muted

—

4 (D)

B (1)

3 (G)

F♯ (5)

2 (B)

G♯ (6)

1 (e)

D (♭3)

String

Fret

Finger

Note

6 (E)

muted

—

5 (A)

B (1)

4 (D)

1 (barre)

D (♭3)

3 (G)

G♯ (6)

2 (B)

1 (barre)

B (1)

1 (e)

F♯ (5)