Am6

[Guilhffranco]

Hi, can someone explain why the Am6 chord is made up of the notes A, C, E, F# instead of A, C, E and F? My confusion arises when I understand that, in the A Minor Natural Scale, the F is natural. Why is it that when we use the chord symbol, the 6th becomes #?

Thank you

[gaggle of hermits]

basically, the 6 is defined as having a major sixth. the minor only refers to the third and is independent of the key. though it would seem to make sense that it would follow the key signature, it doesn't. I believe the main reason is that a minor sixth would introduce a flat-2 with the fifth, so is pretty dissonant and therefore doesn't get used all that much. Another reason is that with the minor sixth, it could be Fmaj/A and may well sound more like that in any case.

otoh, the 6 chord could be interpreted as a half-diminished F#, but because it has a fifth, the 6 version will generally sound more stable. (however, context is everything so it might not).

[excuse me please]

A C E F is an Fmaj7 chord (in F major or C major).
While A C E F# could be a non root D9 chord as well.
-
Am is a chord in F major, C major and G major.
F major and C major don't have a F#. G major does have a F#, though.
-
So basically the chord is in G major, that why it is related to D9 (V in G major), Am6 (II in G major).

[excuse me please]

basically, the 6 is defined as having a major sixth. the minor only refers to the third and is independent of the key. though it would seem to make sense that it would follow the key signature, it doesn't. I believe the main reason is that a minor sixth would introduce a flat-2 with the fifth, so is pretty dissonant and therefore doesn't get used all that much. Another reason is that with the minor sixth, it could be Fmaj/A and may well sound more like that in any case.

otoh, the 6 chord could be interpreted as a half-diminished F#, but because it has a fifth, the 6 version will generally sound more stable. (however, context is everything so it might not).

Nonsense, the Am6 chord belongs to the keys of G major or Em. The interval A-F# belongs strictly to these keys in this case.

[N__K]

Hi, can someone explain why the Am6 chord is made up of the notes A, C, E, F# instead of A, C, E and F?

The way I currently see it, it's because that style of chord nomenclature is more about communicating interval structure than staff/scale positions, even if it might not be obvious by what logic.

I believe this is a good reference website for such things:
http://www.looknohands.com/chordhouse/piano/


This is how I personally think of it:

Code: Select all

traditional interval names   1   m2  2   m3  3   4   tt  5   m6  6  m7  7
"m6" or "1,m3,5,6"           1           m3              5       6

0-11 interval numbering      0   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9  10  11
"0,3,7,9"                    0           3               7       9 

So - to my understanding - a "m6" chord, thusly spelled, means the above interval structure regardless of whether it "fits" into some scale or its representation on the staff. Inversions of it may end up called something different, depending on context in the composition and who is deciding how to name the chord...

[shawshawraw]

My confusion arises when I understand that, in the A Minor Natural Scale, the F is natural. Why is it that when we use the chord symbol, the 6th becomes #?

m6 used as tonic chord implies a Dorian sound. Look up Dorian Mode as well as Real Melodic Minor Scale.

[gaggle of hermits]

Nonsense, the Am6 chord belongs to the keys of G major or Em. The interval A-F# belongs strictly to these keys in this case.

ok. maybe you can explain why you wrote "nonsense" as i mentioned neither key there. the op mentioned the a minor natural scale.

[excuse me please]

Nonsense, the Am6 chord belongs to the keys of G major or Em. The interval A-F# belongs strictly to these keys in this case.

ok. maybe you can explain why you wrote "nonsense" as i mentioned neither key there. the op mentioned the a minor natural scale.

Well, the F# in A minor natural is called an "accidental" note (because it is not in key). A minor narural is not a key FYI. So it's not a key related note; because the key of A minor goes A B C D E F G A. Ok, my fault; I did not mention all related minor keys with their major twins in my previous post. But I tried not to confuse things, because every key is derived from the major scale in theory. Lesson one. And the minor scale is derived from the major scale.

Btw if you get it, it is logical. It's theory.

[excuse me please]

PS sorry for my tone, but yesterday I tried to search for links about the topic. Most of the links went to guitar sites, without a single bit of info about related keys. So I got a little frustrated.

Now what? Forget about theory. Each time I relate to theory regarded to a score I am busy with, in a moment of doubt, I go wrong lol.



When I change that note to as I am hearing it, the next day it sounds competely natural. Mind boggling, I know.

[N__K]

Forget about theory. Each time I relate to theory regarded to a score I am busy with, in a moment of doubt, I go wrong lol.

When I change that note to as I am hearing it, the next day it sounds competely natural. Mind boggling, I know.

Fun, I'd say When composing in what could be termed "oblivious flow" I oftentimes "forget" not only most of what I supposedly know about music theory, but even the note names.

Afterwards, making at least some theoretical sense of what comes out of such sessions can be a fun stage in itself, with stuff like "Am11 add 3, b6, 6" popping up.

[shawshawraw]

PS sorry for my tone, but yesterday I tried to search for links about the topic. Most of the links went to guitar sites, without a single bit of info about related keys. So I got a little frustrated.

Now what? Forget about theory. Each time I relate to theory regarded to a score I am busy with, in a moment of doubt, I go wrong lol.



When I change that note to as I am hearing it, the next day it sounds competely natural. Mind boggling, I know.

Haha, you found the truth, because m6 is IMO the most ambiguous chord ever!

When representing a subdominant sound, it can be considered a different spelling of m7b5, for example Dm7b5 and Fm6 have the same notes. And when they share the same bass note, the chord symbols are exactly the same thing, for example Dm7b5/Ab = Fm6/Ab.

m6 also represents a tonic sound as I mentioned earlier (which is also how OP worded the question). It not in the sense of a typical minor because the 6th degree is not flat. In this case we don't want to write it in the m7b5 form, because a tonic m6 is way clearer. (Compare: in A "minor", reading Am6 vs F#m7b5)

And don't forget m7b5 can also be a dominant sound in rare cases, as the 7th degree in a major (example: Bm7b5 in C Major). You may see a progression of Dm6 | G7 | C or even Dm6 | C from here, although you may argue that the Dm6 is more of a subdominant sound!

(Oh, and a rare rare rare case - Fm7b5 = Abm6 functioning as G7b9b13...)

[The Noodlist]

https://m.basicmusictheory.com/a-minor- ... d#solution

[excuse me please]

Forget about theory. Each time I relate to theory regarded to a score I am busy with, in a moment of doubt, I go wrong lol.

When I change that note to as I am hearing it, the next day it sounds competely natural. Mind boggling, I know.

Fun, I'd say :) When composing in what could be termed "oblivious flow" I oftentimes "forget" not only most of what I supposedly know about music theory, but even the note names.

Afterwards, making at least some theoretical sense of what comes out of such sessions can be a fun stage in itself, with stuff like "Am11 add 3, b6, 6" popping up.

I have a "forget about everything" routine. Which sometimes causes trouble; sometimes I think a E flat note is a B flat note in the editor. Usually the point where I should take a break, but such a mistake can easily confuse me until the next session :oops:

[excuse me please]

PS sorry for my tone, but yesterday I tried to search for links about the topic. Most of the links went to guitar sites, without a single bit of info about related keys. So I got a little frustrated.

Now what? Forget about theory. Each time I relate to theory regarded to a score I am busy with, in a moment of doubt, I go wrong lol.



When I change that note to as I am hearing it, the next day it sounds competely natural. Mind boggling, I know.

Haha, you found the truth, because m6 is IMO the most ambiguous chord ever!

When representing a subdominant sound, it can be considered a different spelling of m7b5, for example Dm7b5 and Fm6 have the same notes. And when they share the same bass note, the chord symbols are exactly the same thing, for example Dm7b5/Ab = Fm6/Ab.

m6 also represents a tonic sound as I mentioned earlier (which is also how OP worded the question). It not in the sense of a typical minor because the 6th degree is not flat. In this case we don't want to write it in the m7b5 form, because a tonic m6 is way clearer. (Compare: in A "minor", reading Am6 vs F#m7b5)

And don't forget m7b5 can also be a dominant sound in rare cases, as the 7th degree in a major (example: Bm7b5 in C Major). You may see a progression of Dm6 | G7 | C or even Dm6 | C from here, although you may argue that the Dm6 is more of a subdominant sound!

(Oh, and a rare rare rare case - Fm7b5 = Abm6 functioning as G7b9b13...)

Thanks for reminding me! I completely missed the m7b5 reference. Oh dear
Oh well, I am used to simple chords. G7 is the limit for me.

[shawshawraw]

Thanks for reminding me! I completely missed the m7b5 reference. Oh dear
Oh well, I am used to simple chords. G7 is the limit for me.

Glad I helped! Also the daunting looking chords are really suggesting the scales they're on, for example, the G7b9b13 I listed above is telling you the C Harmonic Minor Scale, if you jot down all the specified chord notes: G B D F Ab (C) Eb. If you want a dominant chord suggesting the C Major Scale, it'd be G13: G B D F A (C) E. I'm sure when you look at a G7 you won't only want to play G B D F because that's boring and it's difficult to make cool melodies out of these four

The proper theory term is the "chord-scale theory". I got a great deal of it from Berklee's "A Modern Method for Guitar" vol 3. It needed some mental power at first but was completely worth it once I got used to!