What notes are in a B♭m6 chord?

B♭m6 contains four notes: B♭ (root), D♭ (minor third), F (perfect fifth), and G (major sixth).

Is B♭m6 the same as G half-diminished?

Enharmonically yes — same four pitches. B♭m6 has B♭ as root (minor tonic); Gø has G as root (ii of F minor).

How is B♭m6 different from B♭m7?

Only the top note changes. B♭m6 has G (major sixth); B♭m7 has A♭ (minor seventh). The 6 sits a step lower than the m7.

What jazz standards use B♭m6?

"Lush Life" (in D♭ major, modulates through B♭-minor sections), "Stella by Starlight," and many other tunes pass through B♭-minor harmony with B♭m6 voicings at cadences.

Bb minor 6 chord — notes, intervals, and practice

B♭m6 — B♭, D♭, F, G — is a B♭ minor triad with an added major sixth. The chord is the i6 of B♭ minor and is enharmonic to G half-diminished. Tchaikovsky used related minor-tonic colours in his B♭-minor literature; jazz uses B♭m6 at final cadences.

Intervals

The Bb minor 6 chord stacks two thirds on the root. Each interval and its size in semitones:

Bb→Dbminor 3rd3 semitones
Db→Fmajor 3rd4 semitones
F→Gmajor 2nd2 semitones

On the keyboard

Each note of the Bb minor 6 chord highlighted on a piano. Pitch class is what matters — any octave works.

On the guitar

One voicing of the Bb minor 6 chord on a six-string guitar fretboard.

1Bb
♭3Db
5F
6G

Common mistakes

B♭m6 has G natural as its sixth — borrowed from B♭ Dorian (which has G as the raised 6th of B♭ natural minor). Don't confuse with B♭m7 (which has A♭ as the m7). The G sits a step lower than the m7.

In context

B♭m6 is the i6 of B♭ minor (used as a final tonic in B♭-minor jazz). The cadence Cm7♭5 → F7 → B♭m6 closes many B♭-minor tunes. Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 (which opens in B♭ minor) uses related minor-tonic colours.

Drill it

The Bb minor 6 chord is one of 48 in the Chord Trainer. Open the full trainer to practice it alongside related chords with timing and best-time tracking.

Open the Chord Trainer →Or try today's Etudle puzzle

Frequently asked

What notes are in a B♭m6 chord?: B♭m6 contains four notes: B♭ (root), D♭ (minor third), F (perfect fifth), and G (major sixth).
Is B♭m6 the same as G half-diminished?: Enharmonically yes — same four pitches. B♭m6 has B♭ as root (minor tonic); Gø has G as root (ii of F minor).
How is B♭m6 different from B♭m7?: Only the top note changes. B♭m6 has G (major sixth); B♭m7 has A♭ (minor seventh). The 6 sits a step lower than the m7.
What jazz standards use B♭m6?: "Lush Life" (in D♭ major, modulates through B♭-minor sections), "Stella by Starlight," and many other tunes pass through B♭-minor harmony with B♭m6 voicings at cadences.