Bb6

Bb6 is Bb, D, F and G, a major sixth. The shape this page opens on is written x13333, lowest string first.

Also written Bbmaj6, BbM6 or Bb major 6. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 11 common shapes for Bb6 on the guitar, and 38 derived voicings in 4 families.

In which keys. Every note of Bb6 belongs to C minor (the ♭VII), D minor (the ♭VI), Eb major (the V), F major (the IV), G minor (the ♭III) and Bb major (the I).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: x13333, x53333, 655333, 353363, 650066, 6x576x, 6x8786, 68x786, x-x-8-10-8-10, x-13-12-12-11-x, x-13-15-15-15-15.

Shell. Root, third and seventh: the guide tones fix the quality, so the fifth is dropped. That is what leaves a string free, so pick a tension to put on top. Bb6 has x100xx, 655xxx, x-13-12-12-x-x, x1x03x, 6x57xx, 6x00xx, x-13-x-12-15-x.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. Bb6 has 1100xx, x1303x, xx3333, 3533xx, xx5766, x8878x, x-x-8-10-8-10, 10-10-8-10-x-x.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. Bb6 has x1x031, x5x363, 3x333x, 6x576x, x8x786, 10-x-8-10-8-x, x-10-x-10-11-10, 13-x-12-12-11-x.

Open string. An open string left ringing against a fretted grip. Because it costs no finger, it sounds a note the closed shape has none left for -- a tension on top, or a pedal root underneath. Either a familiar grip with open strings added, or a shape so sparse the open strings carry the chord. These belong to their key rather than to a shape, so D, A, G and E have many and Eb a handful. Bb6 has 6x5760, 3x3330, x55360, xx0060, 6700xx, 6x006x.

Tensions. A shell of Bb6, root, third and seventh, leaves a string free, and the tones that belong over it are the 9 (C) and the #11 (E).

The common shapes and the derived voicings come from different places, and both are explained in where the chords and the theory come from.