Fm6 Piano Chord

Fm6 is the F minor sixth chord. It has four notes: F, A flat, C and D. Only the A flat is a black key, and the D on top stays natural, which is what makes the chord a minor sixth.

1F2A♭3C5DC4C5

F at the bottom, then A♭, C and D. Right hand 1-2-3-5, left hand 5-3-2-1. A♭ is the only black key.

How to play Fm6 on piano, step by step

  1. Start on the F above middle C. That is the lowest note of the chord.
  2. Thumb (1): F
  3. Index finger (2): A♭
  4. Middle finger (3): C
  5. Little finger (5): D
  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 F on its own as a bass note.

Play Fm, then Fm6, then Fm again: hold F, A flat and C still and add the little finger on D. The added white key is small on the keyboard and large in the sound.

Inversions of Fm6

The same 4 notes with a different one at the bottom. All of them are Fm6; which you play depends on what the hand is coming from. Tap any card to hear it.

First inversionA♭ C D F
Fm6 piano chord diagram, first inversion, A♭ C D F
Lighter, with the black key leading from the bass and the sixth folded into the middle of the hand.
Second inversionC D F A♭
Fm6 piano chord diagram, second inversion, C D F A♭
Open and unresolved. C and D a whole step apart at the bottom of the hand keep the chord walking rather than standing.
Third inversionD F A♭ C
Fm6 piano chord diagram, third inversion, D F A♭ C
With D underneath, these four notes are exactly Dm7b5, the half diminished chord, which is how jazz charts usually spell this bass position.

If it does not sound right

It sounds settled instead of bittersweet
The top note is D, not E flat. E flat would make it Fm7. Count one white key up from C and stop there.
The index finger misses A flat
A flat sits between G and A. Keep the finger curved and land on the front half of the black key so the neighbours stay silent.
The D on top is weak
It is the little finger's note and the whole point of the chord. Let the hand lean slightly outward so the weight reaches it.

What makes it an Fm6

F · A♭ · C · D 1 ♭3 5 6

Fm6 is an F minor triad, F, A flat and C, with a D added: the major sixth, nine half steps above the root. The sixth stays major even though the chord is minor, and that mismatch of a flat third with a natural sixth is the chord's character.

It is the iv chord in C and a standby of jazz and older pop, where it usually walks to C; that Fm6 to C move is one of the oldest sounds in songwriting. The same four notes read from D spell Dm7b5, the half diminished chord.

Fm6 vs Fm7

Both add a fourth note to F minor. Fm7 adds E flat and sounds smooth and settled; Fm6 adds D, one key lower, and sounds like it is leaning toward C.

Hold F, A flat and C and rock the top finger between E flat and D. Black key to white key, and the chord flips from resting to moving.

Questions about Fm6

What is the difference between Fm6 and Fm7?

The top note. Fm7 has E flat, a black key, and settles; Fm6 has D, the white key below it, and pushes toward C.

Why does a minor chord have a major sixth?

The sixth comes from the major scale. Fm6 flattens the third to A flat but keeps the sixth at D natural, and that mismatch is what a minor sixth chord is.

What fingers do you use for Fm6?

Right hand: thumb on F, index on A flat, middle on C, little finger on D, which is 1, 2, 3 and 5. Left hand plays 5, 3, 2, 1.

Is Fm6 the same as Dm7b5?

Same four notes: F, A flat, C and D. With F in the bass it is Fm6; with D in the bass it is Dm7b5, the half diminished chord.

Where is Fm6 used?

As the iv chord in C, one of the oldest cadence colours there is, and across jazz and older pop wherever an F minor needs to move.

Chords to learn next

Other F chords