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Cm6

Character: dark, cool

  1. CRtriad
  2. E♭♭3triad
  3. G5triad
  4. A6add
Open Cm6 in the chord libraryDownload the Cm6 chart (PDF)
Voicings

11 ways to play Cm6

Every voicing sits inside one of the five CAGED shapes, low to high on the neck, with its octave doublings in grey.

  • Triad note
  • Substitute
  • Added
  • Anchored root
  • Bass
  • Doubling
CC shape 1st inversion Cm6/E♭
1 2 3 4 5 R 6 ♭3

Frets x x 1 2 1 xNotes E♭ A CIntervals ♭3 6 1Base triadC minor, 1st inversion

The 6th takes the 5th’s string.

CC shape Root position Cm6
1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭3 R 5 R

Frets x 3 1 2 1 3Notes C E♭ AIntervals 1 ♭3 6Base triadC minor, root position

The 6th takes the 5th’s string.

CC shape 2nd inversion Cm6/G
1 2 3 4 6 ♭3 R 5 5 R

Frets 3 3 1 2 1 3Notes G C E♭ AIntervals 5 1 ♭3 6Base triadC minor, 2nd inversion

The 6th gets a string of its own.

AA shape 2nd inversion Cm6/G
1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭3 R 5 R

Frets x 3 5 5 4 5Notes G C E♭ AIntervals 5 1 ♭3 6Base triadC minor, 2nd inversion

The 6th gets a string of its own.

AA shape Root position Cm6
1 2 3 4 5 5 6 ♭3 R

Frets x x x 5 4 5Notes C E♭ AIntervals 1 ♭3 6Base triadC minor, root position

The 6th takes the 5th’s string.

AA shape 2nd inversion AnchoredCm6
1 2 3 4 5 R ♭3 6 5 R 5

Frets x 3 5 2 4 3Notes C G A E♭Intervals 1 5 6 ♭3Base triadC minor, 2nd inversion

The root drops to the string below the triad. The 6th takes the root’s string.

GG shape 1st inversion Cm6/E♭
5 6 7 8 5 R 6 ♭3

Frets x 6 7 5 x xNotes E♭ A CIntervals ♭3 6 1Base triadC minor, 1st inversion

The 6th takes the 5th’s string.

GG shape Root position Cm6
5 6 7 8 5 6 ♭3 R R 5 5

Frets 8 6 7 0 8 8Notes C E♭ AIntervals 1 ♭3 6Base triadC minor, root position

The 6th takes the 5th’s string.

EE shape 1st inversion Cm6/E♭
8 9 10 11 5 R 6 ♭3 R

Frets 8 x x 8 10 8Notes E♭ A CIntervals ♭3 6 1Base triadC minor, 1st inversion

The 6th takes the 5th’s string.

EE shape Root position Cm6
8 9 10 11 5 6 ♭3 R R 5 R

Frets 8 10 10 8 10 8Notes C E♭ AIntervals 1 ♭3 6Base triadC minor, root position

The 6th takes the 5th’s string.

EE shape 2nd inversion Cm6/G
8 9 10 11 6 ♭3 R 5 R R

Frets 8 10 10 8 10 8Notes G C E♭ AIntervals 5 1 ♭3 6Base triadC minor, 2nd inversion

The 6th gets a string of its own.

The rules

The construction rules Cm6 follows

  1. Start from a triad

    Root, 3rd and 5th, stacked in thirds. The 3rd makes it major or minor; the 5th makes it diminished or augmented when it moves.

  2. No 7th, no stack

    6, add9, add11 and 6/9 are a triad with a colour note, not a stack. Without a 7th the chord sounds open rather than jazzy.

  3. On guitar, something has to give

    Each extension takes the string of a triad note that matters less, usually the 5th, or gets a string of its own. The root and 3rd stay: they say what the chord is.

  4. The root can move down

    When an extension needs the root’s string, the root can drop to the string below the triad: an anchored voicing keeps the bass and frees a string on top.

All the rules, with examples, in the guide to the chord library.

Minor 6th in every key

More chords on C

Cm6 chord questions

What notes are in Cm6?

Cm6 is spelled C E♭ G A: C is the root, E♭ is the ♭3rd, G is the 5th, A is the 6th.

What is the formula of Cm6?

1 ♭3 5 6. It is a C minor triad with the 6th stacked on top.

How many ways can you play Cm6 on guitar?

This page shows 11 voicings of Cm6, filed under the five CAGED shapes and named by inversion, from the open position up to the 16th fret.