B Minor 6th Chord (Bm6) on Piano
The Bm6 chord (B minor 6th) is built from 4 notes: B – D – F# – G#.
Play these notes on a MIDI keyboard, your computer keyboard, or the on-screen keys and ChordKeys will name the chord back to you.
Notes and intervals
| Note | Degree | Interval from B | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| B | 1 | root | 0 |
| D | b3 | minor 3rd | 3 |
| F# | 5 | perfect 5th | 7 |
| G# | 6 | major 6th | 9 |
Inversions
Rearranging which note sits at the bottom gives you 4 playable voicings of the same chord. Inversions let you move between chords with less hand movement.
| Voicing | Notes | Bass note |
|---|---|---|
| Root position | B – D – F# – G# | B in the bass |
| 1st inversion | D – F# – G# – B | D in the bass |
| 2nd inversion | F# – G# – B – D | F# in the bass |
| 3rd inversion | G# – B – D – F# | G# in the bass |
How the minor 6th chord is built
Every minor 6th chord uses the same interval formula: 1 (0 semitones), b3 (3 semitones), 5 (7 semitones), 6 (9 semitones). Starting on B and applying that formula produces B, D, F#, G#. Learn the formula once and you can build a minor 6th chord on any of the twelve roots.
Keys that contain Bm6
Every note of Bm6 belongs to these keys, so it will sit naturally in a progression written in any of them.
Other chords on B
Minor 6th chords on other roots
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in a Bm6 chord?
A Bm6 chord contains the notes B, D, F#, G#. Those are the 1, b3, 5, 6 degrees measured from the root note B.
How do you play Bm6 on piano?
Place your thumb on B, then add D and F# and G# above it. With a right hand in root position the common fingering is 1–2–3–5.