G♯ minor 6th chord

Playing it

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

On piano, G♯m6 has two black keys (G♯ and D♯) and two white keys.

On ukulele the usual G♯m6 shape is 1312, using four fingers.

Related chords

G♯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 G♯m6 becomes a different chord: drop the E♯ for G♯m, raise E♯ to F♯ for G♯m7, raise B to B♯ for G♯6 and lower D♯ to D for G♯dim7.

Where you’ll hear it

Notice the E♯ in G♯m6 (G♯ B D♯ E♯): each note of the chord takes its own letter (G–B–D–E), so the major 6th has to be written E♯ rather than F — the same key on a piano, spelled to fit the chord.