Bm6 chord on piano
The Bm6 chord, or B minor 6th, stacks 4 notes on B: B, D, F♯ and G♯. Musicians write its formula 1 ♭3 5 6.
Notes and intervals of Bm6
Each note of Bm6 has a job. Counted from the root, you get root (B), minor 3rd (D), perfect 5th (F♯) and major 6th (G♯). Change one of these intervals and you get a different chord, which is why the formula 1 ♭3 5 6 is worth memorising rather than the shape alone.
| Degree | Interval | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | root | B |
| ♭3 | minor 3rd | D |
| 5 | perfect 5th | F♯ |
| 6 | major 6th | G♯ |
How to play Bm6 on piano
Put your right-hand thumb on B, then add the other notes: B, D, F♯ and G♯. Teachers usually suggest the fingering 1-2-3-5 (left hand: 5-3-2-1). Press the keys together, release, and repeat until the chord sounds even.
Inversions of Bm6
An inversion keeps the same notes but puts another one in the bass. Bm6 has 3 inversions besides root position: 1st inversion (D F♯ G♯ B), 2nd inversion (F♯ G♯ B D) and 3rd inversion (G♯ B D F♯). Inversions let you move between chords with tiny hand movements, which is how pianists make progressions sound smooth.
Which keys use Bm6?
Bm6 is not built from the notes of a single major key, so it usually appears as a colour chord: a borrowed chord, a passing chord or a suspension that resolves to the next chord.
Scales to play over Bm6
These scales share every note of Bm6: B melodic minor scale and B Dorian mode. B melodic minor scale is the safest choice; the others add more colour.
About minor 6th chords
A minor triad with a major sixth added: 1 ♭3 5 6. Dark but bittersweet, mysterious, a little film noir. The major sixth and the minor third form a tritone, which gives the chord a gentle, unresolved tension. That major sixth is the colour note of the Dorian mode. For example Am6: A C E F♯.
Use it as a minor tonic (im6) in jazz, gypsy jazz, bossa nova and tango, often as the final chord. A classic line descends inside one minor chord: i, im(maj7), im7, im6. It also replaces iv in minor keys (ivm6), and it has the same notes as the m7♭5 on its sixth (for example Am6 and F♯m7♭5).
Root position 1 ♭3 5 6 is close and slightly dense; for an open sound, play the root and fifth in the left hand and ♭3, 6 and 9 in the right. Keep the root in the bass: with the sixth in the bass, the chord turns into a m7♭5. Bossa nova pianists often add the 9 to make a minor 6/9.
The 6 in m6 is a major sixth (F♯ in Am6), not a minor sixth (F): Am(♭6) is a different, darker sound. Do not confuse m6 with m7 either: the seventh (G in Am7) is one semitone above the sixth. And m6 is not the same as a minor chord with the sixth in the bass, which is a slash chord.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the Bm6 chord?
Bm6 (B minor 6th) contains B, D, F♯ and G♯. In intervals: root (B), minor 3rd (D), perfect 5th (F♯) and major 6th (G♯).
How do you play Bm6 on piano?
Play B, D, F♯ and G♯ together with the right-hand fingering 1-2-3-5. You can also play it in 3 inversions, shown on this page.
What scale goes with Bm6?
B melodic minor scale fits Bm6 best. Other scales that contain all its notes: B Dorian mode.
What key is Bm6 in?
Bm6 does not belong to a single major key. It is used as a colour chord that borrows notes from outside the key.
Related
Ready to go further than the chart?
The free GuitarHarmony workshop shows every scale on the whole neck, names any chord you play and builds progressions with you. Free account, no card.