Db Minor 6th
Dbm6
Notes
Db · Fb · Ab · Bb
Intervals
- RootDb (1P)
- Minor 3rdFb (3m)
- Perfect 5thAb (5P)
- Major 6thBb (6M)
Fretboard
On the fretboard, E represents Fb.
Adjust labels, frets, and palette in the interactive view.
About
The D♭m6 chord (D♭–F♭–A♭–B♭) pairs a minor third with a natural (major) sixth, creating an unusual tension between the dark minor quality and the unexpectedly bright sixth. This combination implies the melodic minor scale, where the natural 6th and natural 7th distinguish it from natural minor. The m6 chord is commonly used as a tonic minor in jazz — often preferred over D♭m7 when a composer wants to avoid the subdominant connotations of the ♭7. The B♭ is the chord’s defining color and must be present; the 5th can be dropped. Compared to D♭m7, m6 is less bluesy and more harmonically specific.
Similar chords
Chords sharing two or more notes with this one, ranked by overlap.
Scales containing this chord
- D♭ Diminished (deg 1)
- D♭ Harmonic Minor (I)
- D♭ Melodic Minor (I)
- D♭ Natural Minor (I)
- A♭ Diminished (deg 4)
- A♭ Harmonic Minor (IV)
- A♭ Natural Minor (IV)
- B Diminished (deg 2)
- B Major (II)
- B Melodic Minor (II)
- B♭ Blues (deg 2)
- D Diminished (deg 8)
- F Diminished (deg 6)
- F Harmonic Minor (VI)
- D♭ Dorian (I)
- D♭ Locrian (I)
- D♭ Phrygian (I)
- A♭ Locrian (IV)
- A♭ Phrygian (IV)
- B♭ Locrian (III)
- E Lydian (VI)
- E♭ Locrian (VII)
- E♭ Phrygian (VII)
- F♯ Mixolydian (V)
Scales whose notes include every chord tone. Roman numeral marks the chord root’s position in the scale; dashed badges aren’t linked yet.