Explore chords · Guitar
G minor 6th chord on guitar (Gm6)
Also called or written Gm6, Gmin6, Gmin maj6 or G Minor Major 6
G minor 6th contains G, B♭, D, and E. The open voicing is advanced because the ring finger must stretch to the 3rd fret on the B string while the other fingers hold a close cluster.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, 5, 6
- Root positionG–B♭–D–EGm63-1-0-0-3-0
- First inversionB♭–D–E–GGm6/B♭×-1-0-0-3-0
- Second inversionD–E–G–B♭Gm6/D×-5-5-3-5-3
- Third inversionE–G–B♭–DGm6/E0-1-0-0-3-0
How do you play a G minor 6th chord on guitar?
G minor 6th is played in open position as 3 1 0 0 3 0: middle finger on the low E string at fret 3, index finger on the A string at fret 1 and ring finger on the B string at fret 3. The D, G and high e strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 3 | 2 | G (1) |
| 5 (A) | 1 | 1 | B♭ (♭3) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (5) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | G (1) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 3 | D (5) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (6) |
AdvancedThe ring finger must stretch to the 3rd fret on the B string while the other fingers hold a close cluster on the low E and A strings.
Open · 3-1-0-3-3-0
G minor 6th is played in open position as 3 1 0 3 3 0: middle finger on the low E string at fret 3, index finger on the A string at fret 1, ring finger on the G string at fret 3 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 3. The D and high e strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 3 | 2 | G (1) |
| 5 (A) | 1 | 1 | B♭ (♭3) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | D (5) |
| 3 (G) | 3 | 3 | B♭ (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 4 | D (5) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (6) |
Open · 3-1-2-0-3-0
G minor 6th is played in open position as 3 1 2 0 3 0: ring finger on the low E string at fret 3, index finger on the A string at fret 1, middle finger on the D string at fret 2 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 3. The G and high e strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 3 | 3 | G (1) |
| 5 (A) | 1 | 1 | B♭ (♭3) |
| 4 (D) | 2 | 2 | E (6) |
| 3 (G) | open | — | G (1) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 4 | D (5) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (6) |
3rd fret
G minor 6th is played at the 3rd fret as 3 5 5 3 5 3: barre your index finger across fret 3, middle finger on the A string at fret 5, ring finger on the D string at fret 5 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 5.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 3 | 1 (barre) | G (1) |
| 5 (A) | 5 | 2 | D (5) |
| 4 (D) | 5 | 3 | G (1) |
| 3 (G) | 3 | 1 (barre) | B♭ (♭3) |
| 2 (B) | 5 | 4 | E (6) |
| 1 (e) | 3 | 1 (barre) | G (1) |
5th fret
G minor 6th is played at the 5th fret as × × 5 7 5 6: index finger on the D string at fret 5, pinky finger on the G string at fret 7, middle finger on the B string at fret 5 and ring finger on the high e string at fret 6. 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) | 5 | 1 | G (1) |
| 3 (G) | 7 | 4 | D (5) |
| 2 (B) | 5 | 2 | E (6) |
| 1 (e) | 6 | 3 | B♭ (♭3) |
Why it sounds like that
G minor 6th is built from the formula 1, ♭3, 5, 6. The major 6th, E, adds a bright, unresolved colour to the minor triad. Compare it to G minor, which stops at the 5th.
What goes wrong with G minor 6th?
- Letting the ring finger collapse onto the high e string and deaden its open note.
- Strumming all six strings without fretting the B string cleanly, causing a buzz.
When to use it
G minor 6th works as a tonic in G minor progressions, such as Gm6–Cm6–D7. Its bittersweet colour suits jazz ballads and folk fingerpicking. Try it with G minor or G 5th.
Changing to and from G minor 6th
- Move from G minor 6th to G minor by lifting the ring finger off the B string and letting it ring open.
- Slide the shape up two frets to the 5th fret to play A minor 6th.
Which voicing to use
The open voicing keeps the bass on G and suits strummed passages. The 3rd fret barre voicing keeps the same bass note but adds fullness for higher-register lines.
Other G chords
Common questions
How is G minor 6th written?
G minor 6th is written Gm6, min maj6, or Gmin6.
What is the difference between G minor 6th and G minor 7th?
G minor 6th has a major 6th (E), while G minor 7th has a minor 7th (F). The 6th gives a brighter, more melodic colour.
Why are all six strings played in the open voicing?
All six strings are played because every open string is a chord tone. The voicing is complete with no muted strings.