F minor 6th chord on ukulele (Fm6)

Also called or written Fm6, Fmin6, Fmin maj6 or F Minor Major 6

F minor 6th contains F, A♭, C, and D. The 10th fret grip shifts the A minor 6th shape up eight frets, with the pinky at the 12th fret.

10frFCDA♭GCEA
Positions on the neck1 of 4
Practice F minor 6th chord

How it is built

FRootA♭Minor thirdCPerfect fifthDMajor sixth

Formula 1, ♭3, 5, 6

Inversions

How do you play an F minor 6th chord on ukulele?

F minor 6th is played at the 10th fret as 10 12 10 11: index finger on the G string at fret 10, pinky finger on the C string at fret 12, middle finger on the E string at fret 10 and ring finger on the A string at fret 11.

Full note and interval breakdown
StringFretFingerNote
4 (G)101F (1)
3 (C)124C (5)
2 (E)102D (6)
1 (A)113A♭ (♭3)

AdvancedThe pinky stretches to the 12th fret on the C string while the index and middle hold the 10th fret, requiring a wide reach.

Fmin6/D inversion

F minor 6th is played at the 1st fret as 1 2 1 3: index finger on the G string at fret 1, ring finger on the C string at fret 2, middle finger on the E string at fret 1 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 3.

Full note and interval breakdown
StringFretFingerNote
4 (G)11A♭ (♭3)
3 (C)23D (6)
2 (E)12F (1)
1 (A)34C (5)

4th fret

F minor 6th is played at the 4th fret as 5 5 4 5: middle finger on the G string at fret 5, ring finger on the C string at fret 5, index finger on the E string at fret 4 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 5.

Full note and interval breakdown
StringFretFingerNote
4 (G)52C (5)
3 (C)53F (1)
2 (E)41A♭ (♭3)
1 (A)54D (6)

Fmin6/A♭ inversion

F minor 6th is played at the 7th fret as 7 8 8 8: index finger on the G string at fret 7, middle finger on the C string at fret 8, ring finger on the E string at fret 8 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 8.

Full note and interval breakdown
StringFretFingerNote
4 (G)71D (6)
3 (C)82A♭ (♭3)
2 (E)83C (5)
1 (A)84F (1)

Why it sounds like that

F minor 6th is built from the formula 1, ♭3, 5, 6. The major 6th from F to D gives the chord its bright edge. Compare F minor, which omits the 6th.

What goes wrong with F minor 6th?

  • Letting the pinky mute the E string.
  • Pressing the index finger too hard, which sharpens the G string.
  • Failing to keep the ring finger clear of the C string.

When to use it

F minor 6th acts as a tonic in F minor and colours F minor and F 5th chords. It fits jazz and minor blues.

Changing to and from F minor 6th

  • Sliding the shape down two frets to the 8th fret gives E♭ minor 6th.
  • From F minor, add the ring finger on the A string, 11th fret.

Which voicing to use

The 10th fret position keeps F in the bass and suits closed-position playing. The Fmin6/A♭ inversion at the 1st fret places A♭ in the bass, giving a darker, open-string sound.

Other F chords

Common questions

How is F minor 6th written?

F minor 6th is written Fm6, min maj6, or Fmin6.

What is the difference between F minor 6th and F minor 7th?

F minor 6th has a major 6th (D), while F minor 7th has a minor 7th (E♭). The 6th gives a brighter colour.

Can F minor 6th be played with open strings?

Yes, the Fmin6/A♭ inversion at the 1st fret uses open strings, but the default 10th fret position has no open strings.