How to Play Em6 on Piano

The E Minor 6th chord sounds bittersweet. It stacks 4 notes: E – G – B – C#.

A minor triad with a major sixth added on top. The major interval sitting inside a minor chord is what gives it its ambiguity.

Notes in Em6

NoteIntervalFinger
EE4Root1
GG4Minor 3rd2
BB4Perfect 5th3
C#C#5Major 6th5

How to Play

Right Hand

Place your thumb (finger 1) on E. Use finger 2 on G, finger 3 on B, and finger 5 on C#.

Where it sits

One note of this chord (C#) is on black keys, so play it a little further back on the keys than an all-white shape.

Press all 4 keys at the same time. Keep your wrist relaxed and your fingers curved. The blue dots on the piano below show exactly which keys to press — they turn green when you play the right note.

Other Minor 6th Chords

Cm6
C – Eb – G – A
C#m6
C# – E – G# – A#
Dm6
D – F – A – B
Ebm6
Eb – Gb – Bb – C
Fm6
F – Ab – C – D
F#m6
F# – A – C# – D#
Gm6
G – Bb – D – E
G#m6
G# – B – D# – E#
Am6
A – C – E – F#
Bbm6
Bb – Db – F – G
Bm6
B – D – F# – G#

Other E Chords

E6
E – G# – B – C#
E7
E – G# – B – D
E9
E – G# – B – D – F#
E
E – G# – B
Em
E – G – B
Emaj7
E – G# – B – D#
Em7
E – G – B – D
Edim
E – G – Bb
Eaug
E – G# – B#
Esus2
E – F# – B
Esus4
E – A – B
Edim7
E – G – Bb – Db
Eadd9
E – G# – B – F#