C minor sixth
How to play Cm6 — Minor sixth
Cm6 (Minor sixth)C · E♭ · G · A
Guitar samples: Acoustic guitar — University of Iowa (via tonejs-instruments, CC-BY 3.0)
C minor sixth — notes and structure
The Cm6 chord is a minor triad with a major sixth — a bittersweet, jazzy sound.
The Cm6 minor sixth consists of the notes C, E♭, G, A. Its interval structure is R–3–5–6 — the root, then each chord tone stacked above it. This is the same chord you see in the interactive finder above, drawn on the guitar fretboard with the root circled and every chord tone labelled.
Cm6 stacks a minor third (E♭), a perfect fifth (G) and a major sixth (A) above the root C.
The finder shows 5 ways to play Cm6 — an open-position shape reaching up to the 8th fret. 2 of them use a barre.
What key is Cm6 in?
Every note of Cm6 belongs to the scales below, so the chord sounds at home in each of these keys — the roman numeral is the degree it sits on.
- B♭ major — the ii chord
- G minor — the iv chord
Chords that go with Cm6
In B♭ major, the chords built on the first, fourth and fifth degrees carry most songs — put Cm6 next to these:
Frequently asked questions
- What notes are in the C minor sixth chord?
- The Cm6 chord contains the notes C, E♭, G, A. It is a minor triad with a major sixth — a bittersweet, jazzy sound.
- How many ways can you play Cm6 on guitar?
- 5 voicings are shown on this page — from open position up the neck — each with its own fingering diagram and audio.
- Is Cm6 a hard chord to play?
- Some voicings use a barre, which takes practice, but the chord is very playable once that shape is comfortable.
- What key does Cm6 belong to?
- Cm6 fits B♭ major (where it is the ii chord), G minor (where it is the iv chord) — every note of the chord is in those scales.