A♭ minor 6th chord

Playing it

On guitar, A♭m6 has an open-position shape, 42340x, using four fingers alongside the open strings. Don’t strum the high E string.

On piano, A♭m6 has two black keys (A♭ and E♭) and two white keys.

On ukulele the usual A♭m6 shape is 1312, using four fingers.

Related chords

A♭m6 contains exactly the same notes as Fm7♭5. Which name fits depends on which note is in the bass and what key you’re in.

Move a single note and A♭m6 becomes a different chord: drop the F for A♭m, raise F to G♭ for A♭m7, raise C♭ to C for A♭6 and lower E♭ to E𝄫 for A♭dim7.

Where you’ll hear it

Notice the C♭ in A♭m6 (A♭ C♭ E♭ F): each note of the chord takes its own letter (A–C–E–F), so the minor 3rd has to be written C♭ rather than B — the same key on a piano, spelled to fit the chord.