Bm6 Piano Chord

Bm6 is the B minor sixth chord. It has four notes: B, D, F sharp and G sharp. The bottom half of the chord is white keys and the top half is black, so the hand sits at a slight diagonal.

1B2D3F♯5G♯C3C4

B at the bottom, then D, F♯ and G♯. Right hand 1-2-3-5, left hand 5-3-2-1. The black keys are F♯ and G♯, under the last two fingers.

How to play Bm6 on piano, step by step

  1. Start on the B below middle C. That is the lowest note of the chord.
  2. Thumb (1): B
  3. Index finger (2): D
  4. Middle finger (3): F♯
  5. Little finger (5): G♯
  6. Press them together with the right hand. The left hand plays the same notes with fingers 5, 3, 2, 1 an octave lower, or just B on its own as a bass note.

B and D lie flat under the thumb and index while F sharp and G sharp sit higher and deeper. Angle the hand slightly into the keyboard so fingers 3 and 5 reach the black keys without straightening.

Inversions of Bm6

The same 4 notes with a different one at the bottom. All of them are Bm6; which you play depends on what the hand is coming from. Tap any card to hear it.

First inversionD F♯ G♯ B
Bm6 piano chord diagram, first inversion, D F♯ G♯ B
Lighter than root position, with the two black keys now in the middle of the hand and the minor third leading from the bass.
Second inversionF♯ G♯ B D
Bm6 piano chord diagram, second inversion, F♯ G♯ B D
Open and unresolved. Starting on the two black keys puts the tense pair at the bottom, so the chord sounds like a step on the way somewhere.
Third inversionG♯ B D F♯
Bm6 piano chord diagram, third inversion, G♯ B D F♯
With G♯ underneath, these four notes are exactly G#m7b5, and the ear hears half diminished rather than a minor sixth. That ambiguity is useful, but it is real.

If it sounds off

The chord sounds calm instead of restless
The top note is G sharp, not A. A natural would make it Bm7. The sixth is the black key just below A.
Fingers 3 and 5 bunch on the black keys
F sharp and G sharp are neighbours. Keep the middle finger curved and the little finger on its tip so each key sounds cleanly.
The chord sounds bottom heavy
B and D under the first two fingers can overpower the top. Let the weight of the hand drift toward the outside so the sixth is clearly heard.

What makes it a Bm6

B · D · F♯ · G♯ 1 ♭3 5 6

Bm6 is a B minor triad, B, D and F sharp, with a G sharp added: the major sixth, nine half steps above the root. The sixth stays major even though the chord is minor, which is exactly what separates it from Bm7 and gives it its unsettled sound.

It is the iv chord in F sharp and a standby of jazz and older pop, where it usually walks to F sharp. The same four notes read from G sharp spell G#m7b5, the half diminished chord; the bass note decides which name fits.

Bm6 vs Bm7

Both add a fourth note to B minor. Bm7 adds A, a white key, and sounds soft; Bm6 adds G sharp, the black key just below it, and sounds like it is leaning somewhere.

Hold B, D and F sharp and rock the little finger between A and G sharp. Hearing the chord flip between settled and restless teaches the difference faster than any description.

Questions about Bm6

What is the difference between Bm6 and Bm7?

The top note. Bm7 has A and relaxes; Bm6 has G sharp, one key lower, and creates tension that wants to move.

Why does a minor chord have a major sixth?

The sixth comes from the major scale. Bm6 flattens the third to D but keeps the sixth at G sharp, and that mismatch is the chord's whole character.

What fingers do you use for Bm6?

Right hand: thumb on B, index on D, middle on F sharp, little finger on G sharp, which is 1, 2, 3 and 5. Left hand plays 5, 3, 2, 1.

Is Bm6 the same as G#m7b5?

Same four notes: B, D, F sharp and G sharp. With B in the bass it is Bm6; with G sharp in the bass it is G#m7b5.

Where is Bm6 used?

As the iv chord in F sharp, and in jazz, film scores and older songwriting, where it usually appears as a minor chord on its way to somewhere else.

Chords to learn next

Other B chords