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Chord · Reference entry

E♭ Minor 6th

Minor 6th · E♭ – G♭ – B♭ – C · intervals P1-m3-P5-M6

The E♭ Minor 6th chord (E♭m6) contains the notes E♭, G♭, B♭, and C. Its interval formula is R-m3-P5-M6. A minor triad plus the major 6th — bittersweet and noir-tinged, a jazz minor color.

D♯ Minor 6th
This is the same chord as D♯ Minor 6th — the same keys on the keyboard, spelled with sharps.

At the keyboard

Eb · Gb · Bb · C
Flashcards · Chord
Three questions on E♭ Minor 6th
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E♭m6

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

Construction

E♭ Minor 6th = Root + Minor 3rd + Perfect 5th + Major 6th = E♭ · G♭ · B♭ · C
NoteIntervalDegree
E♭Root1
G♭Minor 3rd♭3
B♭Perfect 5th5
CMajor 6th6

E♭ Minor 6th Inversions

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

Key Signature

A chord has no key signature of its own, but the E♭ Minor 6th is the tonic (i) chord of Eb Minor, which shares the signature of its relative major, Gb Major6 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭).

B♭E♭A♭D♭G♭C♭

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.

BEADGCF

Mnemonic: Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’ Father

Chords in the Key of E♭ Minor

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

C1C2C3C4C5C6C7C8D#F#A#
iE♭ Minor (minor)
DegreeNumeralChordQuality
1iE♭ MinorMinor
2ii°F DiminishedDiminished
3IIIG♭ MajorMajor
4ivA♭ MinorMinor
5vB♭ MinorMinor
6VIB MajorMajor
7VIID♭ MajorMajor

Same Notes, Other Names

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

E♭ Minor 6th — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the E♭ Minor 6th chord on piano?
The E♭ Minor 6th chord contains the notes E♭ – G♭ – B♭ – C. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.
What notes are in the Eb Minor 6th chord?
Ebm6 contains: Eb, Gb, Bb, C. Minor triad with major sixth.
How does Ebm6 differ from Ebm7?
Ebm6 has C. Ebm7 has Db.
How is Ebm6 used?
Descending chromatic line. Jazz tonic. Enharmonic of Cm7b5.
Is Ebm6 the same as Cm7b5?
Same notes, different root.
What songs use Minor 6th?
My Funny Valentine pattern.
How does Ebm6 differ from Eb6?
Ebm6 has minor third (Gb).

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 is piano.org's own interval-derived reference dataset — continuously maintained and human-verified, with no fixed publication date.

  1. 1

    Prout, Ebenezer(1889)

    Harmony: Its Theory and Practice

    Public domain treatise
  2. 2

    Goetschius, Percy(1889)

    The Material Used in Musical Composition

    Public domain treatise
  3. 3

    Chopin, Frédéric(1839)

    Prelude in E♭ major, Op. 28 No. 19

    Public domain score
  4. 4

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