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Chord · Eb Minor 6th

Em6 Chord

Em6 is Eb, Gb, Bb and Csmoky, sophisticated; classic jazz minor.

Hear it

Em6 on every instrument

The same 4 notes, 6 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.

××5fr2413EADGBE
Guitar1 voicing
CDEFGAB
Piano3 voicings
5fr1234GCEA
Ukulele2 voicings
10fr2413EADG
Bass1 voicing
4fr2134GDAE
Mandolin1 voicing
×7fr2314GDGBD
Banjo1 voicing

What Em6 is made of

Eb Minor 6th (Eb minor 6th) is built from the notes Eb, Gb, Bb, C, with the interval pattern 1, b3, 5, 6. A common minor 6th chord across many styles.

Stack 1, b3, 5 and 6 on a root of E and you get Eb, Gb, Bb and C. That interval recipe is what makes the chord a minor sixth chord — move the same shape to another root and the character travels with it, which is why Cm6 sounds like a transposed Em6.

Minor 6th: Smoky, sophisticated; classic jazz minor.

Spelling: the notes above are written the way a score would write them, not simplified to the nearest piano key. That is why this chord is spelled with E rather than its enharmonic equivalent.

Keys that contain Em6

All 4 notes sit inside the scale of 4 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.

Other chords on E

Same root, different colour.

The same minor sixth shape, moved

The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.

Questions people ask about Ebm6

What notes are in the Ebm6 chord?
Ebm6 is made of Eb, Gb, Bb and C — the 1, b3, 5 and 6 degrees of a minor sixth chord built on Eb.
What keys use the Ebm6 chord?
Every note of Ebm6 belongs to 4 keys: Db Major (ii), C# Major (ii), Bb Minor (iv), A# Minor (iv). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
How do you play Ebm6 on guitar and piano?
This page shows Ebm6 on guitar, piano, ukulele, bass, mandolin and banjo — 9 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
Is Ebm6 the same as D#m6?
Yes. Ebm6 and D#m6 are enharmonic — identical pitches written two different ways. Which spelling you use depends on the key you are in; Ebm6 is the spelling this site treats as canonical.

Learn the theory behind it

Why Em6 behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.

Functional Harmony: Three Roles, One EngineWhat a seventh chord is for — tension, resolution, and the seat it takes in the key.6 min readThe 12-Bar Blues — Three Chords, A Century of HitsSeventh chords are the whole sound of the blues. Twelve bars is where to hear it.7 min readMajor and Minor Scales — Built from Intervals, Felt in SongsThe flat third under all of this, and the scale it comes from.5 min read