STRINGSCALES

B locrian dominant Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, F, G, A, B, C, D#, E at frets 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12

A string: A, B, C, D#, E, F, G, A at frets 0, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12

D string: D#, E, F, G, A, B, C at frets 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10

G string: G, A, B, C, D#, E, F, G at frets 0, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12

B string: B, C, D#, E, F, G, A, B at frets 0, 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12

High E string: E, F, G, A, B, C, D#, E at frets 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12

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B 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

Bmaj♭5
C

bII

Cmaj
D♯

III

F7no5/D♯
E

iv

Em
F

bV

Fmaj
G

bVI+

Gaug
A

bvii

Am

Same notes, different mode

B 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.

C ionian major #2D# ultralocrianE neapolitan minorF lydian #6G mixolydian augmentedA romani minor

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

tip
  • Over a 7b9b13 chord with a #11 available, B locrian dominant supplies every alteration while keeping the plain major 3rd (D#).
  • Anchor lines on III and bVII (A), the guide tones; the b2 (C), b5 (F) and b6 (G) 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 (E) and drops the #9, a subtly less angry dominant color.

How to play B locrian dominant on guitar

Open B is the root, and five of the six open strings belong, so a tonic drone costs nothing. Roots start at the open B, then fret 2 on the A string and fret 4 on the G. One sharp, or capo 2 and read in A. Fret 7 on the low E is the deepest root, which means the E shape barre covers box one from there.

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