C minor sixth (Cm6) chord on guitar

The C minor sixth chord (Cm6) is a minor sixth chord (a minor triad plus a major sixth), made of four notes: C – E♭ – G – A.

Dots show:

Easy versioneasy

Position 1medium

A shape, fret 3medium

Position 6medium

E shape, fret 8medium

D shape, fret 10medium

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 Cm6 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 Cm6 chord

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

How to play it – with fingering

Easy version

String 1 (e): fret 5, ring finger (A4)
String 2 (B): fret 4, index finger (E♭4)
String 3 (G): fret 5, middle finger (C4)
String 4 (D): not played
String 5 (A): not played
String 6 (E): not played

Position 1, barre at fret 1

String 1 (e): fret 3, little finger (G4)
String 2 (B): fret 1, index finger (C4)
String 3 (G): fret 2, middle finger (A3)
String 4 (D): fret 1, index finger (E♭3)
String 5 (A): fret 3, ring finger (C3)
String 6 (E): not played

For the barre, lay your index finger flat across all the marked strings at fret 1; your other fingers press the higher frets.

A shape, fret 3

String 1 (e): fret 5, little finger (A4)
String 2 (B): fret 4, middle finger (E♭4)
String 3 (G): fret 5, ring finger (C4)
String 4 (D): fret 5, ring finger (G3)
String 5 (A): fret 3, index finger (C3)
String 6 (E): not played

The “C, A, G, E and D shapes” are the CAGED system: you slide the shape of the open C, A, G, E or D chord up the neck and your index finger (a barre) takes over the job of the nut. That way the same chord can be played in five places, anywhere on the fretboard.

Tuning: E A D G B E (low to high). String 6 is the thickest, the low E. In the diagram, × means the string is not played, and a circle means an open string.

Playing Cm6 with a capo

A capo clamps all the strings at one fret, so a familiar open shape sounds higher. You can also get a Cm6 chord with these open shapes:

Capo: fret 3
shape: Am6

Rework a whole song for a capo: chord transposer →

Which keys is it in?

The Cm6 chord is built from the notes of these keys (for minor keys, both the natural and the harmonic minor are considered):

G minor: iv6 (subdominant)
B♭ major: ii6

Similar chords and substitutes

If Cm6 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

E♭ – relative major: two shared notes
A♭ – the major chord a major third below: two shared notes
Cm7 – a fuller, softer minor colour

Same notes

Am7b5 – the same notes with a different root

Simpler versions

Cm – all 3 of its notes are in this chord
C5 – all 2 of its notes are in this chord

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the Cm6 chord?

C, E♭, G, A. The root is C; the intervals of the other notes from the root: minor third, perfect fifth, major sixth.

What is the easiest way to play Cm6 on guitar?

The easiest shape above is “Easy version”, rated easy. We show 6 shapes, from open and easy versions to movable barre shapes higher up the neck. With a capo you can also play it as a Am6 shape at fret 3.

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 Cm6 shapes?

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

How is the Cm6 chord written?

The chord symbol is Cm6, and its full name is C minor sixth.