Skip to content

Guitar chords · Minor 6th

Em6 chord on guitar

Em6 (E minor 6th) has four notes: E, G, B and C♯, the , ♭3, 5 and 6.

Shapes

How to play Em6

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

Em6 has an , and one : the A shape at 7. A movable shape keeps its fingering anywhere on the neck: slide it up or down and the , on the lowest played string, names the chord.

  • Open

    5R6EBEGC♯E
  • A shape · fret 7

    6fr××R6♭35EC♯GB
Name a shape you're holding: the chord finder

Notes and formula

What makes Em6 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 Em6 a minor 6th chord; you can leave out the 5th.

  1. ERroot
  2. G♭3essential
  3. B5optional
  4. C♯6essential
EADGBE0135791215EEEEEEEEEGBC♯GBC♯GBGBC♯GBC♯GBC♯GBC♯GBC♯G
  • E, the root
  • Other chord tones

Keys

Keys with Em6

Em6 belongs to two keys: D major (ii6) and B 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

Em6 over another bass note

A keeps Em6 on top and puts another note in the bass: the letter after the slash is the lowest note you play.

  • Em6/G

    Em6 with its ♭3rd, G, in the bass.

  • Em6/B

    Em6 with its 5th, B, in the bass.

Questions

Em6, in short

What notes are in the Em6 chord?
Em6 (E minor 6th) has four notes: E, G, B and C♯, the , ♭3, 5 and 6.
How do you play Em6 on guitar?
Em6 has an , and one : the A shape at 7.
What key is Em6 in?
Em6 belongs to two keys: D major (ii6) and B minor (iv6).
All guitar chords