What notes are in a Cm6 chord?

Cm6 contains four notes: C (root), E♭ (minor third), G (perfect fifth), and A (major sixth).

Why does a "minor 6" chord use a MAJOR sixth?

The "minor" in m6 refers to the triad, not the sixth interval. A minor triad plus a major sixth on top is the standard m6 voicing — it borrows the 6 from melodic minor or Dorian rather than from natural minor.

Is Cm6 the same as Am7♭5?

Enharmonically yes — same four pitches. Cm6 has C as root (minor tonic); Am7♭5 has A as root (half-diminished, ii of G minor).

What jazz standards use Cm6?

C-minor jazz tunes often end on Cm6 instead of plain Cm. "Stella by Starlight" passes through C-minor harmony; "Solar" by Miles Davis modulates through related minor 6 colours.

C minor 6 chord — notes, intervals, and practice

Cm6 — C, E♭, G, A — is a C minor triad with an added major sixth. The "minor 6" name refers to the minor triad, not the sixth itself; the 6 is the major sixth (A from C), which is what gives the chord its slightly brighter, more jazzy character compared to a plain Cm chord. Cm6 is a primary tonic chord in C-minor jazz.

Intervals

The C minor 6 chord stacks two thirds on the root. Each interval and its size in semitones:

C→Ebminor 3rd3 semitones
Eb→Gmajor 3rd4 semitones
G→Amajor 2nd2 semitones

On the keyboard

Each note of the C minor 6 chord highlighted on a piano. Pitch class is what matters — any octave works.

On the guitar

One voicing of the C minor 6 chord on a six-string guitar fretboard.

1C
♭3Eb
5G
6A

Common mistakes

The most common surprise with m6 chords is the major sixth — Cm6 has A natural, not A♭ (which would come from C natural minor). The major 6 distinguishes the chord from a Cm scale-based harmonic colour; the chord effectively borrows from C melodic minor or C Dorian. Cm6 is enharmonic to Am7♭5 (sharing the same four pitches).

In context

Cm6 is the i chord in C minor (often used as a final tonic in C-minor jazz instead of a plain Cm triad). The cadence Dm7♭5 → G7 → Cm6 closes many C-minor jazz tunes. Bach used i6 chords in his C-minor literature as a softer minor-tonic landing.

Drill it

The C minor 6 chord is one of 48 in the Chord Trainer. Open the full trainer to practice it alongside related chords with timing and best-time tracking.

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Frequently asked

What notes are in a Cm6 chord?: Cm6 contains four notes: C (root), E♭ (minor third), G (perfect fifth), and A (major sixth).
Why does a "minor 6" chord use a MAJOR sixth?: The "minor" in m6 refers to the triad, not the sixth interval. A minor triad plus a major sixth on top is the standard m6 voicing — it borrows the 6 from melodic minor or Dorian rather than from natural minor.
Is Cm6 the same as Am7♭5?: Enharmonically yes — same four pitches. Cm6 has C as root (minor tonic); Am7♭5 has A as root (half-diminished, ii of G minor).
What jazz standards use Cm6?: C-minor jazz tunes often end on Cm6 instead of plain Cm. "Stella by Starlight" passes through C-minor harmony; "Solar" by Miles Davis modulates through related minor 6 colours.