E minor sixth
How to play Em6 — Minor sixth
Em6 (Minor sixth)E · G · B · C♯
Guitar samples: Acoustic guitar — University of Iowa (via tonejs-instruments, CC-BY 3.0)
E minor sixth — notes and structure
The Em6 chord is a minor triad with a major sixth — a bittersweet, jazzy sound.
The Em6 minor sixth consists of the notes E, G, B, C♯. 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.
Em6 stacks a minor third (G), a perfect fifth (B) and a major sixth (C♯) above the root E.
The finder shows 2 ways to play Em6 — an open-position shape reaching up to the 4th fret. 1 of them use a barre.
What key is Em6 in?
Every note of Em6 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.
- D major — the ii chord
- B minor — the iv chord
Chords that go with Em6
In D major, the chords built on the first, fourth and fifth degrees carry most songs — put Em6 next to these:
Frequently asked questions
- What notes are in the E minor sixth chord?
- The Em6 chord contains the notes E, G, B, C♯. It is a minor triad with a major sixth — a bittersweet, jazzy sound.
- How many ways can you play Em6 on guitar?
- 2 voicings are shown on this page — from open position up the neck — each with its own fingering diagram and audio.
- Is Em6 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 Em6 belong to?
- Em6 fits D major (where it is the ii chord), B minor (where it is the iv chord) — every note of the chord is in those scales.