Fm6 chord on piano
The Fm6 chord, or F minor 6th, stacks 4 notes on F: F, A♭, C and D. Musicians write its formula 1 ♭3 5 6.
Notes and intervals of Fm6
Each note of Fm6 has a job. Counted from the root, you get root (F), minor 3rd (A♭), perfect 5th (C) and major 6th (D). 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 | F |
| ♭3 | minor 3rd | A♭ |
| 5 | perfect 5th | C |
| 6 | major 6th | D |
How to play Fm6 on piano
Put your right-hand thumb on F, then add the other notes: F, A♭, C and D. 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 Fm6
An inversion keeps the same notes but puts another one in the bass. Fm6 has 3 inversions besides root position: 1st inversion (A♭ C D F), 2nd inversion (C D F A♭) and 3rd inversion (D F A♭ C). Inversions let you move between chords with tiny hand movements, which is how pianists make progressions sound smooth.
Which keys use Fm6?
Fm6 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 Fm6
These scales share every note of Fm6: F melodic minor scale and F Dorian mode. F 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 Fm6 chord?
Fm6 (F minor 6th) contains F, A♭, C and D. In intervals: root (F), minor 3rd (A♭), perfect 5th (C) and major 6th (D).
How do you play Fm6 on piano?
Play F, A♭, C and D 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 Fm6?
F melodic minor scale fits Fm6 best. Other scales that contain all its notes: F Dorian mode.
What key is Fm6 in?
Fm6 does not belong to a single major key. It is used as a colour chord that borrows notes from outside the key.
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