A♭ minor sixth (A♭m6) chord on mandolin

The A♭ minor sixth chord (A♭m6) is a minor sixth chord (a minor triad plus a major sixth), made of four notes: A♭ – C♭ – E♭ – F. The same chord with a different spelling: G♯ minor sixth (G♯m6).

Dots show:

Basic shapemedium

Position 3medium

Position 6medium

Position 9medium

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What the A♭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 A♭m6 chord

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

How to play it – with fingering

Basic shape

String 1 (E): fret 1, ring finger (F5)
String 2 (A): fret 2, little finger (C♭5)
String 3 (D): fret 1, middle finger (E♭4)
String 4 (G): fret 1, index finger (A♭3)

Position 3

String 1 (E): fret 4, ring finger (A♭5)
String 2 (A): fret 6, little finger (E♭5)
String 3 (D): fret 3, index finger (F4)
String 4 (G): fret 4, middle finger (C♭4)

Position 6

String 1 (E): fret 7, middle finger (C♭6)
String 2 (A): fret 8, little finger (F5)
String 3 (D): fret 6, index finger (A♭4)
String 4 (G): fret 8, ring finger (E♭4)

Tuning: G D A E, like a violin; every note is a pair of strings that you fret together. In the diagram, × means the string is not played, and a circle means an open string.

Which keys is it in?

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

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

Similar chords and substitutes

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

Substitutes (by function)

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

Same notes

Fm7b5 – the same notes with a different root

Simpler versions

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

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the A♭m6 chord?

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

What is the easiest way to play A♭m6 on mandolin?

The easiest shape above is “Basic shape”. 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 A♭m6 shapes?

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

How is the A♭m6 chord written?

The chord symbol is A♭m6 (also written Abm6), and its full name is A♭ minor sixth.