B♭ minor sixth (B♭m6) chord on banjo

Minor sixth chord (a minor triad plus a major sixth) on B♭: the notes of the B♭m6 chord are B♭ – D♭ – F – G. The same chord with a different spelling: A♯ minor sixth (A♯m6).

Dots show:

Basic shapemedium

Position 6medium

Position 8medium

Position 11easy

Tap a string on a diagram to hear just that string. The sound is generated in your browser with a physical string model.

Chord finder Transposer Tuner

What the B♭m6 chord sounds like

A minor sixth chord is a minor triad with a major sixth: dark but taut, with a film-noir feel. It is a common minor tonic in gypsy jazz, tango and jazz.

Notes of the B♭m6 chord

Degree	Note	Interval from the root
1	B♭	root
3	D♭	minor third (3 semitones)
5	F	perfect fifth (7 semitones) – often omitted on fretted instruments
6	G	major sixth (9 semitones)

How to play it – with fingering

Basic shape

String 1 (D): fret 5, little finger (G4)
String 2 (B): fret 2, index finger (D♭4)
String 3 (G): fret 3, ring finger (B♭3)
String 4 (D): fret 3, middle finger (F3)

Position 6

String 1 (D): fret 8, little finger (B♭4)
String 2 (B): fret 8, little finger (G4)
String 3 (G): fret 6, index finger (D♭4)
String 4 (D): fret 8, ring finger (B♭3)

Position 8

String 1 (D): fret 11, little finger (D♭5)
String 2 (B): fret 8, middle finger (G4)
String 3 (G): fret 10, ring finger (F4)
String 4 (D): fret 8, index finger (B♭3)

Five-string banjo in open G tuning (g D G B D). The diagram shows the four long strings; the short 5th string (g) rings open – avoid it when G is not in the chord. In the diagram, × means the string is not played, and a circle means an open string.

Which keys is it in?

The B♭m6 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

F minor: iv6 (subdominant)
A♭ major: ii6

Similar chords and substitutes

If B♭m6 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

C♯ – relative major: two shared notes
F♯ – the major chord a major third below: two shared notes
B♭m7 – a fuller, softer minor colour

Same notes

Gm7b5 – the same notes with a different root

Simpler versions

B♭m – all 3 of its notes are in this chord

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the B♭m6 chord?

B♭, D♭, F, G. The root is B♭; the intervals of the other notes from the root: minor third, perfect fifth, major sixth.

What is the easiest way to play B♭m6 on banjo?

The easiest shape above is “Position 11”, rated easy. We show 4 shapes, from open and easy versions to movable barre shapes higher up the neck.

How do I read the chord diagram?

Strings run from the lowest (left) to the highest (right) – tick “Left-handed” to mirror it. Rows are frets; a number at the side shows the starting fret. Dots are fingers (1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little), a long bar is a barre, × means don't play that string and ○ means play it open.

Why is a note missing from some B♭m6 shapes?

On a fretted instrument you can't always play every note of a 4-note chord. The fifth (F) may be dropped – the chord keeps its character without it.

Why do some songbooks write H instead of B?

In German and Central European notation, H is the note B, and B is the note B♭. So a “B” chord in a German or Hungarian songbook is B♭ in English notation, and an “H” chord is B. Always check which notation your chord chart uses.