A minor 6 chordAm6

Built from

• Aroot
• Cminor 3rd
• E5th
• F♯6th

A bright major 6th on top of a dark minor chord gives it an uneasy, cinematic edge.

Hear it in a progression

• Epic minor

  Film scores and stadium anthems. In A minor.

  Capo and transpose

  1. Am6i
  2. FVI
  3. CIII
  4. GVII

• Minor cadence

  Dark, then a strong pull home. In A minor.

  Capo and transpose

  1. Am6i
  2. Dmiv
  3. E7V7
  4. Am6i

• Andalusian cadence

  Flamenco and surf rock, stepping down. In A minor.

  Capo and transpose

  1. Am6i
  2. GVII
  3. FVI
  4. EV

Where it goes next

Thinking in A minor, where it is the i chord.

• F

  VI. Opens up into something bittersweet.

• Dm

  iv. Goes darker still.

• G

  VII. Steps down: a rock and folk staple.

• C

  III. Brightens into the relative major.

Sounds close

• Cdim7

  Shares 3 of its notes. Both have A, C and F♯.

• D7

  Shares 3 of its notes. Both have A, C and F♯.

• Fmaj7

  Shares 3 of its notes. Both have A, C and E.

• F♯m7

  Shares 3 of its notes. Both have A, E and F♯.

Scales that fit

Notes you can play over this chord, simplest first.

• A dorian

Keys it lives in

• A minoras i
• D minoras v
• E minoras iv
• C majoras vi
• G majoras ii
• F majoras iii