© Bluestronomical Publishing Inc. 2008

  By Jackie Don Loe

~ Minor 6 Chord Blues ~

This month we will look at the Minor Six Chord. You can add a great deal of color to a simple A minor chord by adding the sixth note. It is spelled out from a major scale as follows, Root - flat third - fifth - sixth. I have included four different two chord vamps so you can hear them in context along with the chord spellings for each Am6 chord shown. The first two examples go from an A minor to an A minor 6. The third example is a classic gypsy swing rhythm move, an A minor 7 to an A minor 6 with the root note on the fifth string and the fifth note on the first string for each chord. In example four, there are two different finger style voicings that require a little stretching for a real open sound. Try a minor six chord today and remember to have fun and experiment with these chords in different keys.

Ex 1) Am  / / / | Am6 / / / || Am 6 = 6 - b3 - 5 - R

Ex 2) Am  / / / | Am6 / / / || Am 6 = R - 5 - 6 - b3

Ex 3) Am7 / / / | Am6 / / / || Am 6 = R - 6 - b3 - 5

Ex 4) Am6 / / / | Am6 / / / || Am 6 = R - b3 - 5 - 6 ~ Am 6 = 6 - R - b3 - 5


“A Minor 6 Chords”

* The numbers following the chord letter are where you fret your fingers on the string. If there is a "0" then the string is open, if there is an "x" then no note is played.

Enjoy, and always keep your ears open.

     - Jackie Don Loe -

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