B minor sixth (Bm6) chord on mandolin

Minor sixth chord (a minor triad plus a major sixth) on B: the notes of the Bm6 chord are B – D – F♯ – G♯.

Dots show:

Basic shapeeasy

Position 4easy

Position 6medium

Position 9medium

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

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What the Bm6 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 Bm6 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 (E): fret 2, ring finger (F♯5)
String 2 (A): fret 2, middle finger (B4)
String 3 (D): open (D4)
String 4 (G): fret 1, index finger (G♯3)

Position 4

String 1 (E): fret 4, middle finger (G♯5)
String 2 (A): fret 5, ring finger (D5)
String 3 (D): open (D4)
String 4 (G): fret 4, index finger (B3)

Position 6

String 1 (E): fret 7, ring finger (B5)
String 2 (A): fret 9, little finger (F♯5)
String 3 (D): fret 6, index finger (G♯4)
String 4 (G): fret 7, middle finger (D4)

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 Bm6 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 Bm6 is too hard, or you want a different colour in the same spot, these chords are worth a try.

Substitutes (by function)

D – relative major: two shared notes
G – the major chord a major third below: two shared notes
Bm7 – a fuller, softer minor colour

Same notes

A♭m7b5 – the same notes with a different root

Simpler versions

Bm – all 3 of its notes are in this chord

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the Bm6 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 Bm6 on mandolin?

The easiest shape above is “Basic shape”, 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 Bm6 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.