F Minor 6th Chord (Fm6) on Piano
The Fm6 chord (F minor 6th) is built from 4 notes: F – Ab – C – D.
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 F | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| F | 1 | root | 0 |
| Ab | b3 | minor 3rd | 3 |
| C | 5 | perfect 5th | 7 |
| D | 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 | F – Ab – C – D | F in the bass |
| 1st inversion | Ab – C – D – F | Ab in the bass |
| 2nd inversion | C – D – F – Ab | C in the bass |
| 3rd inversion | D – F – Ab – C | D 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 F and applying that formula produces F, Ab, C, D. Learn the formula once and you can build a minor 6th chord on any of the twelve roots.
Keys that contain Fm6
Every note of Fm6 belongs to these keys, so it will sit naturally in a progression written in any of them.
Other chords on F
Minor 6th chords on other roots
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in a Fm6 chord?
A Fm6 chord contains the notes F, Ab, C, D. Those are the 1, b3, 5, 6 degrees measured from the root note F.
How do you play Fm6 on piano?
Place your thumb on F, then add Ab and C and D above it. With a right hand in root position the common fingering is 1–2–3–5.