Bb6 Ukulele Chord

Bb6 is the B flat sixth chord. It has four notes: B flat, D, F and G. The main shape is plain Bb with the ring finger lifted: three fingers in the first two frets with the g string open, and no barre.

Plain Bb minus the barre: index and middle at the 1st fret of the E and A strings, ring at the 2nd fret of the C string, g string open.

How to play Bb6 on ukulele, step by step

Index finger: 1st fret, E string
Middle finger: 1st fret, A string
Ring finger: 2nd fret, C string
Leave the G string open. Strum all four strings.

Compare it with plain Bb, 3211: lift the finger off the g string and you have Bb6. It is rare for a flat key chord to get easier when a note is added, and this one does.

More ways to play Bb6

There are 3 common Bb6 shapes: the standard one at the top of the page, plus these further up the neck. You only ever need one. Tap any card to hear it.

Bb6 ukulele chord diagram, barre at fret 3, played 3535 — Barre at fret 3

Bb6 ukulele chord diagram, frets 5 to 6, played 0565 — Frets 5 to 6

If it sounds muddy or buzzy

The open g string is dull: The ring finger on the C string is leaning back and touching it. Bring the knuckles forward so every finger lands on its tip and the g string can ring.
The two 1st fret notes buzz: The index and middle sit on the stiffest frets on the neck. Put them right behind the fret wire and press with the tips, not the pads.
It sounds like plain Bb: Check the g string is open. With a finger at its 3rd fret you are playing Bb again; the open G is the sixth and the whole point.

What makes it a Bb6

B♭ · D · F · G 1 3 5 6

Bb6 is a B flat major triad (B flat, D, F) with a sixth added: the G, nine half steps above the root. Nothing is taken away, so the chord still sounds like B flat, just rounder and more old fashioned.

The same four notes read from G spell Gm7. A ukulele has no bass string to pick between the two names, so the surrounding chords decide which one your ear hears. One grip covers both charts.

Bb6 vs Bbmaj7

Bb6 adds a G to the B flat triad; Bbmaj7 adds an A. A whole step below the root against a half step below it, which is the difference between resolved and hovering.

B flat is a horn key, so both chords live in jazz and swing more than in campfire keys. When a chart in B flat wants a resting chord at the end of a phrase, the sixth is usually the one it means.

Bb6 chord questions

Is Bb6 the same as A#6?

Yes, one chord with two spellings. Flat keys write Bb6 and that is the form people search for, so it is the name used here.

Is Bb6 the same as Gm7?

The four notes are the same: B flat, D, F and G. With no bass string on a ukulele, the chords around it decide which name fits.

Is Bb6 easier than Bb?

Yes. Plain Bb needs a small index barre; Bb6 lifts the ring finger and loses nothing else, leaving three fingertips and an open string.

What is the difference between Bb6 and Bb7?

Bb6 adds a G and rests. Bb7 adds an A flat and pushes toward E flat. One ends a phrase, the other moves it along.