STRINGSCALES

B♭ locrian dominant Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: Fb, Gb, Ab, Bb, Cb, D, Eb, Fb at frets 0, 2, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12

A string: Bb, Cb, D, Eb, Fb, Gb, Ab at frets 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11

D string: D, Eb, Fb, Gb, Ab, Bb, Cb, D at frets 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12

G string: Ab, Bb, Cb, D, Eb, Fb, Gb at frets 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11

B string: Cb, D, Eb, Fb, Gb, Ab, Bb, Cb at frets 0, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12

High E string: Fb, Gb, Ab, Bb, Cb, D, Eb, Fb at frets 0, 2, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12

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Bb locrian dominant

The locrian dominant scale, the fifth mode of the neapolitan minor scale, puts a major 3rd inside an otherwise locrian frame: flat 2nd, flat 5th, flat 6th, flat 7th. It spells a dominant 7th chord with b9, #11 and b13, so it works over heavily altered dominants where the plain altered scale's sharp 9 is not wanted.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

B♭

I

B♭majb5
C♭

bII

C♭maj
D

III

F♭7no5/D
E♭

iv

E♭m
F♭

bV

F♭maj
G♭

bVI+

G♭aug
A♭

bvii

A♭m

Same notes, different mode

Bb locrian dominant uses the same notes as the scales below. Start from a different note and you get a new mode built on the very same note set.

Cb ionian major #2D ultralocrianEb neapolitan minorFb lydian #6Gb mixolydian augmentedAb romani minor

locrian dominant in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • Over a 7b9b13 chord with a #11 available, Bb locrian dominant supplies every alteration while keeping the plain major 3rd (D).
  • Anchor lines on III and bVII (Ab), the guide tones; the b2 (B), b5 (E) and b6 (Gb) then read as controlled tension instead of wrong notes.
  • Resolve down a half step: the entire scale leans onto the chord one fret below.
  • Compare with the altered scale: this keeps a perfect 4th (Eb) and drops the #9, a subtly less angry dominant color.

How to play B♭ locrian dominant on guitar

Fret 1 on the A string is the root closest to the nut, and the A shape barres from the same fret. Both E strings sit on the diminished fifth, and the open D gives the major third, so treat all four open strings as colour. Six flats, or capo 1 and think in A. Low E fret 6 is as deep as roots go, giving the E shape barre its spot.

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