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C Minor 6th

chord·/chords/minor-6th/c/

The C Minor 6th chord contains the notes C, E♭, G, and A.

Notes: C, E♭, G, A · Piano keys: C E♭ G A

Reviewed for accuracy · Last updated June 2026 · Maintained by Justin Evans

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Cm6
C – E♭ – G – A
Formula:R-m3-P5-M6
Intervals:P1-m3-P5-M6
Scale Degrees:1-b3-5-6

Practice C Minor 6th

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Introduction

C Minor 6th piano chord, root position — C, Eb, G, A
The C Minor 6th chord in root position on a piano keyboard, notes C, Eb, G, A.

The C Minor 6th chord is a four-note chord made up of C, E♭, G, and A. It is built from a root, minor third, perfect fifth, and major sixth.

Notes

Notes:C – E♭ – G – A

C Minor 6th Inversions

C Minor 6th piano chord, 1st inversion — Eb, G, A, C
The C Minor 6th chord, 1st inversion, on a piano keyboard.
C Minor 6th piano chord, 2nd inversion — G, A, C, Eb
The C Minor 6th chord, 2nd inversion, on a piano keyboard.
C Minor 6th piano chord, 3rd inversion — A, C, Eb, G
The C Minor 6th chord, 3rd inversion, on a piano keyboard.
PositionNotes
Root PositionC – E♭ – G – A
1st InversionE♭ – G – A – C
2nd InversionG – A – C – E♭
3rd InversionC – E♭ – G – A

Key Signature

A chord has no key signature of its own, but the C Minor 6th is the tonic (i) chord of C Minor, which shares the signature of its relative major, Eb Major — 3 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭).

B♭E♭A♭

Order of flats

Flats are added in a fixed order — the reverse of the sharp order. Each new flat key adds the next flat on the list.

B♭E♭A♭D♭G♭C♭F♭

Mnemonic: Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’ Father

Chords in the Key of C Minor

These are the triads built on each degree of the C minor scale:

C1C2C3CGC5C6C7C8D#
i — C Minor (minor)
DegreeNumeralChordQuality
1iC MinorMinor
2ii°D DiminishedDiminished
3IIID♯ MajorMajor
4ivF MinorMinor
5vG MinorMinor
6VIG♯ MajorMajor
7VIIA♯ MajorMajor

Same Notes, Other Names

The notes C – E♭ – G – A aren’t exclusive to this chord. Depending on which note is the bass and how the chord functions, the same pitches also spell:

A Half Diminished→

Theory: Intervals

Formula: R-m3-P5-M6
Intervals: P1-m3-P5-M6

The C Minor 6th is built by stacking intervals from the root note. The formula R-m3-P5-M6 describes the scale degrees used. The intervals P1-m3-P5-M6 show the distance between each note in the chord.

C Minor 6th — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the C Minor 6th chord on piano?
The C Minor 6th chord contains the notes C – E♭ – G – A. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.
What notes are in the C Minor 6th chord?
Cm6 contains four notes: C (root), Eb (minor third), G (perfect fifth), and A (major sixth). A minor triad with an added major sixth — creating a bittersweet, melancholic quality.
How does Cm6 differ from Cm7?
Cm6 has A (major sixth). Cm7 has Bb (minor seventh). Cm6 sounds bittersweet and nostalgic; Cm7 is smooth and dark. Cm6 is also enharmonically the same notes as Am7b5 (A–C–Eb–G).
How does Cm6 differ from C6?
Cm6 has Eb (minor third). C6 would have E (major third). Cm6 is dark and bittersweet; C6 (if it existed in the library) would be bright and warm.
How is Cm6 used in music?
Cm6 is the final chord in the descending chromatic minor line: Cm → CmMaj7 → Cm7 → Cm6. It also appears in jazz as the tonic minor chord (Dorian sound) and in film noir.
What songs use Minor 6th chords?
My Funny Valentine uses the descending minor line ending on m6. Stairway to Heaven features Am → AmMaj7 → Am7 → Am6. Minor 6th chords appear in jazz standards and film scoring.
Is Cm6 the same as Am7b5?
Yes — they contain the same four notes (C, Eb, G, A = A, C, Eb, G). Which name to use depends on context: Cm6 when C is the bass/root, Am7b5 when A is the bass/root.

Practice Tips

  • Play the classic descending line: Cm → CmMaj7 → Cm7 → Cm6 — only the top note changes chromatically (G–B–Bb–A).
  • Cm6 and Am7b5 are the same notes — context determines the name.
  • Cm6 has a bittersweet, nostalgic quality — compare with Cm7's smooth darkness.
  • The major 6th (A) over a minor triad creates the distinctive bittersweetness.
  • Cm6 is the Dorian tonic chord — the A natural is the Dorian raised 6th.
  • Practice Cm6 as a jazz tonic in C minor for a warmer alternative to Cm7.

Related Tools

Chord FinderLook up any chord — see the notes, hear it, and play along.Chord DrillTimed drills to build speed and recognition across all chord types.Practice RoomPlug in a MIDI keyboard and get real-time feedback on every chord and scale.Circle of FifthsVisualize key relationships, relative minors, and key signatures.MIDI MonitorLive MIDI message stream with note names, velocity, and a scrolling staff.

References & Further Reading

The note names, intervals, fingering, and harmony on this chord page are grounded in the following sources. Public domain treatises and scores are linked to their full text; primary data reflects piano.org's own interval-derived dataset.

  1. 1

    George Grove (ed.)(1900)

    A Dictionary of Music and Musicians

    Public domain treatise
  2. 2

    Jadassohn, Salomon(1883)

    A Manual of Harmony

    Public domain treatise
  3. 3

    Beethoven, Ludwig van(1799)

    Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 ("Pathétique")

    Public domain score
  4. 4

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