Gm6 Piano Chord

Gm6 is the G minor sixth chord. It has four notes: G, B flat, D and E. Only the B flat is a black key, and the E on top stays natural, which is what makes the chord a minor sixth.

1G2B♭3D5EC3C4

G at the bottom, then B♭, D and E. Right hand 1-2-3-5, left hand 5-3-2-1. B♭ is the only black key.

How to play Gm6 on piano, step by step

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

Play Gm, then Gm6, then Gm again: hold G, B flat and D still and add the little finger on E. One added white key, and the chord stops sounding settled.

Inversions of Gm6

The same 4 notes with a different one at the bottom. All of them are Gm6; which you play depends on what the hand is coming from. Tap any card to hear it.

First inversionB♭ D E G
Gm6 piano chord diagram, first inversion, B♭ D E G
Lighter, with the black key announcing the minor colour from the bass and the sixth tucked inside the hand.
Second inversionD E G B♭
Gm6 piano chord diagram, second inversion, D E G B♭
Open and unresolved. D and E a whole step apart at the bottom keep the chord sounding like a step, not a stop.
Third inversionE G B♭ D
Gm6 piano chord diagram, third inversion, E G B♭ D
With E underneath, these four notes are exactly Em7b5, the half diminished chord, which is the name most charts would print for this bass.

If it sounds wrong

The chord sounds soft instead of restless
The top note is E, not F. F would make it Gm7. The sixth is one white key below F.
The index finger misses B flat
B flat sits between A and B. Keep the finger curved and land on the front half of the black key.
The E on top is quiet
It is the note that names the chord. Let the hand lean a little toward the outside so the little finger gets its share of the arm weight.

What makes it a Gm6

G · B♭ · D · E 1 ♭3 5 6

Gm6 is a G minor triad, G, B flat and D, with an E added: the major sixth, nine half steps above the root. The sixth stays major even though the chord is minor; E flat would make it a different chord altogether, and the natural E is the point.

It is the iv chord in D and a standby of jazz and older pop, where it usually walks to D. The same four notes read from E spell Em7b5, the half diminished chord, so the bass note decides which chord the ear hears.

Gm6 vs Gm7

Both add a fourth note to G minor. Gm7 adds F and sounds smooth and settled; Gm6 adds E, one white key lower, and sounds like a chord with somewhere to be.

Hold G, B flat and D and rock the top finger between F and E. One key apart, and the chord flips between resting and leaning toward D.

Questions about Gm6

What is the difference between Gm6 and Gm7?

The top note. Gm7 has F and settles; Gm6 has E, the white key below it, and pushes forward.

Why does a minor chord have a major sixth?

The sixth comes from the major scale. Gm6 flattens the third to B flat but keeps the sixth at E natural, and that mismatch is the chord's character.

What fingers do you use for Gm6?

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

Is Gm6 the same as Em7b5?

Same four notes: G, B flat, D and E. With G in the bass it is Gm6; with E in the bass it is Em7b5, the half diminished chord.

Where is Gm6 used?

As the iv chord in D, and across jazz and older pop, where the move from Gm6 to D is a classic ending colour.

Chords to learn next

Other G chords