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Guitar chords · Minor 6th

C♯m6 chord on guitar (C#m6)

C♯m6 (C♯ minor 6th) has four notes: C♯, E, G♯ and A♯, the , ♭3, 5 and 6.

Shapes

How to play C♯m6

Strum a shape to hear it, or pick it one string at a time. R marks the ; the other numbers are the chord tones.

C♯m6 has no common . Play it as the A shape at 4 or the E shape at fret 9. A keeps its fingering anywhere on the neck: slide it up or down and the , on the lowest played string, names the chord.

  • A shape · fret 4

    3fr××R6♭35C♯A♯EG♯
  • E shape · fret 9

    9frR5R♭36RC♯G♯C♯EA♯C♯
Name a shape you're holding: the chord finder

Notes and formula

What makes C♯m6 minor 6th

A minor 6th chord adds a major 6th to a minor chord. The 6th gives it a dark, slightly mysterious colour heard in jazz, bossa nova and film music.

  • 1Root: the note the chord is named after. Keep it.
  • 3Essential: makes the chord what it is. Never drop it.
  • 5Optional: drop it first when you run out of fingers.

The ♭3rd and the 6th make C♯m6 a minor 6th chord; you can leave out the 5th.

  1. C♯Rroot
  2. E♭3essential
  3. G♯5optional
  4. A♯6essential
EADGBE0135791215C♯C♯C♯C♯C♯C♯C♯EG♯A♯EA♯EG♯A♯EG♯A♯EG♯A♯EG♯A♯EG♯A♯EG♯A♯E
  • C♯, the root
  • Other chord tones

C♯m6 and D♭m6 are the same chord with two names: same , same sound. Which one you see depends on the key the song is written in.

Keys

Keys with C♯m6

C♯m6 belongs to two keys: B major (ii6) and G♯ minor (iv6).

Numerals follow the key's own scale, so III, VI and VII in a minor key are its own major chords. A ♭ or ♯ in front marks a chord from outside the key. How Roman numerals work

Slash chords

C♯m6 over another bass note

A keeps C♯m6 on top and puts another note in the bass: the letter after the slash is the lowest note you play.

  • C♯m6/E

    C♯m6 with its ♭3rd, E, in the bass.

  • C♯m6/G♯

    C♯m6 with its 5th, G♯, in the bass.

Questions

C♯m6, in short

What notes are in the C♯m6 chord?
C♯m6 (C♯ minor 6th) has four notes: C♯, E, G♯ and A♯, the , ♭3, 5 and 6.
How do you play C♯m6 on guitar?
C♯m6 has no common . Play it as the A shape at 4 or the E shape at fret 9.
What key is C♯m6 in?
C♯m6 belongs to two keys: B major (ii6) and G♯ minor (iv6).
Is C♯m6 the same as D♭m6?
Yes: same frets, same sound, different name. C♯m6 is the spelling in B major and G♯ minor; D♭m6 in C♭ major and A♭ minor, which most players write as B major and G♯ minor.
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