Fm6 keeps the dark color of F minor and adds a D, the major sixth, which lets some light into it. It is a classic ending chord in minor keys, and a staple of bossa and jazz comping. Near the nut it is surprisingly easy: the D is an open string, and one finger covers the rest.
Fm6 chord: notes and shapes at a glance
- Name: F minor sixth
- Symbol: Fm6
- Notes: F, Ab, C, D
Each shape below is written from the thickest string to the thinnest: a
number is the fret, 0 an open string, x a string you
do not play. New to this? See how to read chord diagrams.
| Shape | Frets, low E to high E | Notes, low to high | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fm6, four strings | xx0111 | D Ab C F | Open D string and one finger across the top three. All four notes, but with D in the bass it can sound like Dm7b5. |
| Fm6, thumb bass | 1x0111 | F D Ab C F | The thumb adds F on the low E and mutes the fifth string. The main open Fm6. |
| Fm6, barre | 133131 | F C F Ab D F | The Fm barre with the fourth finger on the B string at fret 3. Third finger flat over the fifth and fourth strings. |
| Fm6, eighth fret | x 8 10 10 9 10 | F C F Ab D | First finger on the fifth string at fret 8, third finger flat over the fourth and third strings at fret 10, second finger on the B string at fret 9, fourth finger on the high E at fret 10. |
| Fm6, jazz voicing | 13 x 12 13 13 x | F D Ab C | Root on the low E at fret 13, fifth string muted. One of each note, for jazz and bossa. |
Read each diagram from the thickest string on the left to the thinnest on the right. A cross means the string is not played, a circle means it rings open.
Fm6 on the neck: every F, Ab, C, D
Standard tuning, frets 0 to 12. The highlighted notes are the notes of Fm6: any shape you build from them, anywhere on the neck, is still Fm6.
The open Fm6: 1x0111
- Thumb on the low E at fret 1: F, the root.
- The same thumb mutes the fifth string. This X is part of the chord.
- Fourth string open: D, the sixth.
- First finger flat across the third, second and first strings at fret 1: Ab, C and F.
Go slowly, string by string, the first few times. The fifth string is the usual culprit: open it plays A, the major third, which turns the chord into something else entirely.
133111 and add the fourth finger on the B string at
fret 3. That D replaces the C, and you get 133131.
D, not Db, and the Dm7b5 twin
The 6 in Fm6 is a major sixth, D. The note D is what separates it from its neighbors:
| Chord | Notes | Added note |
|---|---|---|
| Fm6 | F, Ab, C, D | D, major sixth |
| Fm(b6) | F, Ab, C, Db | Db, minor sixth |
| Fm7 | F, Ab, C, Eb | Eb, minor seventh |
| Dm7b5 | D, F, Ab, C | Same notes as Fm6, D in the bass |
The last row matters on the guitar: xx0111 starts on the open D,
so alone it can be heard as Dm7b5. Add the F with the thumb, or let a bass player
hold it, and it becomes Fm6.
Changes to practice
| Change | Shapes | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Fm to Fm6 | 133111 to 133131 | One finger added, a color change in place. |
| C7 to Fm6 | x32310 to 1x0111 | V7 to i in F minor: the dominant resolving to a minor sixth. |
| Gm7b5, C7, Fm6 | 3x332x, x32310, 1x0111 | The minor ii V i in F minor, ending on Fm6. |
Ending a minor tune on Fm6 instead of Fm is a standard jazz and bossa move: the D keeps the last chord from sounding too heavy. More on the chord progressions page.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play Fm6 on guitar?
What notes are in Fm6?
What is the difference between Fm6 and Fm7?
Why does Fm6 sound like Dm7b5?
Can I play Fm6 with my thumb?
Who made this
Guitar Social Club is the work of Yohann Abbou, a guitar teacher in Paris who teaches adults. Every shape on this page is written string by string and checked against standard tuning, and the diagrams are drawn from those same fret numbers. The rest of our free guitar tools, including the chord finder, work the same way.
More about Yohann on his page, and about why Guitar Social Club exists.