Also written E♭m6, E♭min6 or E♭min maj6
E♭ minor 6th is built from E♭, G♭, B♭, and C. The default voicing has E♭ in the bass, giving it a dark, weighty character.
The same three notes, with a different one in the bass.
E♭ minor 6th is built from the formula 1, ♭3, 5, 6. The major 6th interval from E♭ to C gives the chord its characteristic bittersweet color. Compare it to E♭ minor, which omits the 6th and sounds more straightforwardly dark.
E♭ minor 6th works well in progressions like E♭ minor–A♭ minor–B♭ minor, the i–iv–v in E♭ minor. E♭ minor 6th suits jazz, neo-soul, and moody ballads where the added 6th softens the minor quality. Try it with E♭ minor or F minor.
The default voicing with E♭ in the bass is good for smooth voice leading. The G♭ inversion at 5-6-6-6 is brighter and cuts through a mix. The B♭ inversion at 8-10-8-9 is fuller and works well for strumming.
E♭ minor 6th is played at the 2nd fret as 3 3 2 3: middle finger on the G string at fret 3, ring finger on the C string at fret 3, index finger on the E string at fret 2 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 3.
Tip — The pinky must fret the A string cleanly at the 3rd fret while the other fingers hold adjacent frets.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 3 | 2 | B♭ (5) |
| 3 (C) | 3 | 3 | E♭ (1) |
| 2 (E) | 2 | 1 | G♭ (♭3) |
| 1 (A) | 3 | 4 | C (6) |
E♭ minor 6th is played at the 5th fret as 5 6 6 6: index finger on the G string at fret 5, middle finger on the C string at fret 6, ring finger on the E string at fret 6 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 6.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 5 | 1 | C (6) |
| 3 (C) | 6 | 2 | G♭ (♭3) |
| 2 (E) | 6 | 3 | B♭ (5) |
| 1 (A) | 6 | 4 | E♭ (1) |
E♭ minor 6th is played at the 8th fret as 8 10 8 9: index finger on the G string at fret 8, pinky finger on the C string at fret 10, middle finger on the E string at fret 8 and ring finger on the A string at fret 9.
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 8 | 1 | E♭ (1) |
| 3 (C) | 10 | 4 | B♭ (5) |
| 2 (E) | 8 | 2 | C (6) |
| 1 (A) | 9 | 3 | G♭ (♭3) |
E♭ minor 6th is written as E♭m6 or E♭min6. The symbol E♭m6 is the most common shorthand. The ASCII root is Eb. It is also spelled D♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
E♭ minor 6th contains the major 6th (C), while E♭ minor 7th contains the minor 7th (D♭). The 6th gives a brighter, more melodic color than the 7th.
Yes, E♭ minor 6th can function as a tonic in E♭ minor. The added 6th creates a sense of unresolved tension that works well in jazz and fusion.