Banjo · minor sixth
Dm6 Chord on Banjo
D Minor 6th is D, F, A, B — the 1-b3-5-6 pattern of a minor sixth chord. Here is the shape, the audio, and what usually goes wrong.
There is no open Dm6 on banjo. The one shape below sits up the neck and is rated advanced.
Start here — Movable m6 Shape (6th fret)
Sits at fret 6 — tighter and brighter than the low shapes, and high enough to keep out of the way of anyone playing the open version underneath.
What beginners get wrong
Moving in and out of it
The shape above: Movable m6 Shape (6th fret).
Listening: each shape above has its own play button, and each one plays the notes that shape actually produces — not a generic triad.
Dm6 on other instruments
Same notes, different hands. Every link below is a real page with diagrams and audio.
Chords next door
Same root, different colour — and all of them playable on banjo.
Dm6 on Banjo — questions people ask
What is the easiest way to play Dm6 on banjo?
“Movable m6 Shape (6th fret)” — which we rate advanced — is the easiest Dm6 shape on banjo. Sits at fret 6 — tighter and brighter than the low shapes, and high enough to keep out of the way of anyone playing the open version underneath. There is no open Dm6 on banjo, so a barre is unavoidable; this is the least demanding one.
What notes are in the D Minor 6th chord?
D Minor 6th is D, F, A, B — the 1-b3-5-6 interval pattern of a minor sixth chord. Every voicing on this page uses those notes and nothing else; they just appear in a different order and octave.
What can I play instead of Dm6?
The nearest stand-ins on banjo that keep the same root are Dsus4, Dsus2, D. They keep the root and the fifth and only change what sits in the middle, so most songs still work — but check the swap against the melody, because the note you removed may be the one the tune is singing.
Can I play Dm6 on other instruments?
Yes. Dm6 is the same set of notes everywhere; only the fingering changes. This site has diagrams and audio for it on guitar, piano, ukulele, bass, mandolin.
Learn the theory behind Dm6
The shape gets your fingers there. These explain why it sounds the way it does.
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