Cm6

Cm6 is C, Eb, G and A, a minor sixth. The shape this page opens on is written x31213, lowest string first.

Also written Cmin6, C-6 or C minor 6. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 9 common shapes for Cm6 on the guitar, and 32 derived voicings in 4 families.

In which keys. Every note of Cm6 belongs to G minor (the iv) and Bb major (the ii).

The common shapes, written lowest string first: x31213, x3524x, x35x45, xx5545, x6758x, 8x7888, 8-10-10-8-10-8, x-x-10-12-10-11, x-15-13-14-13-15.

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. Cm6 has x312xx, 867xxx, x-15-13-14-x-x, x3x24x, 8x78xx, 8-12-13-x-x-x.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. Cm6 has 3312xx, x0101x, xx1213, xx5545, 5655xx, xx7888, x-10-10-8-10-x, x-x-10-12-10-11.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. Cm6 has 3x121x, x3x243, 5x554x, x6x585, 8x788x, x-10-x-8-10-8, 11-x-10-12-10-x, x-12-x-12-13-11.

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. Cm6 has 5600xx, x0304x.

Tensions. A shell of Cm6, root, third and seventh, leaves a string free, and the tones that belong over it are the 9 (D) and the 11 (F).

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