Gm6 — G, B♭, D, E — is a G minor triad with an added major sixth. The chord is the i6 of G minor and is enharmonic to E half-diminished. Bach used related minor-tonic colours in his G-minor literature; jazz uses Gm6 as a final cadence in G-minor tunes.
Intervals
The G minor 6 chord stacks two thirds on the root. Each interval and its size in semitones:
- G→Bbminor 3rd3 semitones
- Bb→Dmajor 3rd4 semitones
- D→Emajor 2nd2 semitones
On the keyboard
Each note of the G minor 6 chord highlighted on a piano. Pitch class is what matters — any octave works.
On the guitar
One voicing of the G minor 6 chord on a six-string guitar fretboard.
- 1G
- ♭3Bb
- 5D
- 6E
Common mistakes
Gm6 has E natural as its sixth — borrowed from G Dorian (which has E as the raised 6th of G natural minor). Don't confuse Gm6 with Gm7 (which has F natural as the m7). On guitar, Gm6 is typically a 3rd-fret E-minor-shape barre.
In context
Gm6 is the i6 of G minor (often used as a final tonic). The cadence Am7♭5 → D7 → Gm6 closes many G-minor jazz tunes. Mozart's G-minor symphonies use related minor-tonic colours; the m6 chord adds a slightly brighter quality than plain Gm.
Drill it
The G 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.
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Frequently asked
- What notes are in a Gm6 chord?
- Gm6 contains four notes: G (root), B♭ (minor third), D (perfect fifth), and E (major sixth).
- Is Gm6 the same as E half-diminished?
- Enharmonically yes — same four pitches. Gm6 has G as root (minor tonic); Eø has E as root (ii of D minor).
- How is Gm6 different from Gm7?
- Only the top note changes. Gm6 has E (major sixth); Gm7 has F (minor seventh).
- What jazz standards use Gm6?
- "Solar" by Miles Davis modulates through G-minor colours. Many G-minor jazz tunes end on Gm6 as a softer tonic alternative to plain Gm.