Bbm6

Bbm6 is Bb, Db, F and G, a minor sixth. The shape this page opens on is written x13x23, lowest string first.

Also written Bbmin6, Bb-6 or Bb minor 6. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 9 common shapes for Bbm6 on the guitar, and 31 derived voicings in 3 families.

In which keys. Every note of Bbm6 belongs to F minor (the iv) and Ab major (the ii).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: x13x23, xx3323, x4536x, 6x5666, 688686, x-x-8-10-8-9, x-13-11-12-11-13, x-13-15-12-14-x, x-x-15-15-14-15.

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. Bbm6 has 645xxx, x-13-11-12-x-x, x1x02x, 6x56xx, x-13-x-12-14-x, x156xx, 6-10-11-x-x-x.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. Bbm6 has x1302x, xx3323, 3433xx, xx5666, x8868x, x-x-8-10-8-9, 9-10-8-10-x-x, x-10-11-10-11-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. Bbm6 has x1x021, 3x332x, x4x363, 6x566x, x8x686, 9-x-8-10-8-x, x-10-x-10-11-9, 13-x-11-12-11-x.

Tensions. A shell of Bbm6, root, third and seventh, leaves a string free, and the tones that belong over it are the 9 (C) and the 11 (Eb).

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