Ebm6

Ebm6 is a four-note chord used in Western tonal music. It consists of the notes Eb, Gb, Bb, and C. The chord is built from an Eb minor triad (Eb–Gb–Bb) with a major sixth added above the root (C).

Inversions: root position Eb–Gb–Bb–C; first inversion Gb–Bb–C–Eb; second inversion Bb–C–Eb–Gb; third inversion C–Eb–Gb–Bb. The interval content includes a minor third (Eb to Gb), a perfect fifth (Eb to Bb), and a major sixth above the root (Eb to C).

Voice-leading and usage: Ebm6 provides a moody, coloristic sound often used in jazz, pop, and film music. It can function as a predominant or passing harmony, especially in progressions that move by step or semitone in the upper voices. It also often appears as a color substitute for related chords such as Ebm7 or during ii–V–I progressions in minor-key contexts.

Notation and variants: It is sometimes written as D♯m6 in contexts favoring sharps; some players spell it as Ebm6(add6) or Ebm(add6) when other tensions are present. Common voicings omit the fifth (Bb) for a thinner texture, yielding shapes such as Eb–Gb–C or Gb–C–Eb.

See also: Ebm7, Ebm6/9, add6 chords.