Gm6 is G minor with one extra note, E, the major sixth. That single note turns a plain sad chord into something bittersweet, the sound of gypsy jazz and of many bossa novas. It is also a chord that is often written wrong on chord charts, so the first job is to make sure your shape really contains that E.
Gm6 chord: notes and shapes at a glance
- Name: G minor sixth
- Symbol: Gm6
- Notes: G, Bb, D, E
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gm6, open | 3x0330 | G D Bb D E | The open Gm6 that is actually right: the open high E is the sixth. Keep the A string muted. |
| Gm6, compact | 3x233x | G E Bb D | Four notes, four strings, no open string. The voicing jazz and bossa players reach for. |
| Gm6, top four strings | xx2333 | E Bb D G | All four notes on the top strings, with E in the bass. Over a G bass it reads as Gm6; on its own it can sound like Em7b5. |
| Gm6, barre | 355353 | G D G Bb E G | The Gm barre with the B string raised to fret 5. A stretch: the third finger lies across the A and D strings, the fourth finger takes the B string. |
| Gm6, tenth fret | x 10 12 12 11 12 | G D G Bb E | Root on the A string at fret 10. First finger on the A string, second on the B string at 11, third finger across the D and G strings at 12, fourth on the high E at 12. |
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.
Gm6 on the neck: every G, Bb, D, E
Standard tuning, frets 0 to 12. The highlighted notes are the notes of Gm6: any shape you build from them, anywhere on the neck, is still Gm6.
The common mistake: 3x0303
Many charts give 3x0303 for Gm6. Check it string by string and it falls apart: low E at fret 3 is G, open D is D, G string at fret 3 is Bb, open B is B natural, high E at fret 3 is G. B natural does not belong to G minor at all, and the E that defines the chord is missing.
Swap the last two strings and it works: 3x0330. The B string at fret 3 gives D, and the open high E gives E, the sixth.
| String | Fret | Note | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low E | 3 | G | Root |
| A | muted | ||
| D | open | D | Fifth |
| G | 3 | Bb | Minor third |
| B | 3 | D | Fifth |
| High E | open | E | Major sixth |
The compact shape: 3x233x
Second finger on the low E at fret 3 (G), first finger on the D string at fret 2 (E), third finger on the G string at fret 3 (Bb), fourth finger on the B string at fret 3 (D). The A and high E strings stay silent.
This is the shape to learn first if you play jazz or bossa. Each note has its own string, nothing rings open, and the hand can stop the sound instantly by relaxing, which is what a short, swung comping stroke needs.
Where Gm6 goes
In G minor, Gm6 is a home chord with color. The most common way to arrive on it is the minor ii V i: Am7b5, then D7, the V7 that pulls to G minor.
| Progression | Shapes |
|---|---|
| Gm to Gm6 | 355333 to 355353 |
| D7 to Gm6 | xx0212 to 3x233x |
| Am7b5, D7, Gm6 | x0101x, xx0212, 3x233x |
Gm to Gm6 is a good ear exercise: only the B string moves, from D to E, and you hear the chord brighten without turning major. The chords around it have their own pages: G minor, D7 and Am7b5.
The styles that live on minor sixth chords
- Gypsy jazz: minor chords are played as minor sixths almost every time, in the short, percussive "pompe" rhythm. Gm6 is that whole style in one chord.
- Bossa nova and jazz: the sixth softens a minor progression without making it major. The compact 3x233x fits right under the bossa nova rhythm.
- Song endings: replace the last Gm of a phrase with Gm6 and the ending hangs in the air instead of closing the door.
A useful habit: when a song stays on one minor chord for a long time, try the sixth version. If it sounds right to you, keep it. The same chord on other roots: Dm6, Am6 and Em6. Gm6 shares its notes with Em7b5.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in a Gm6 chord?
Is 3x0303 a Gm6 chord?
What is the difference between Gm6 and Gm7?
Why does Gm6 have the same notes as Em7b5?
Where is the Gm6 chord used?
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.