STRINGSCALES

C locrian #2 Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: F, Gb, Ab, Bb, C, D, Eb at frets 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11

A string: Bb, C, D, Eb, F, Gb, Ab at frets 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11

D string: D, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, C, D at frets 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12

G string: Ab, Bb, C, D, Eb, F, Gb at frets 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11

B string: C, D, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb at frets 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11

High E string: F, Gb, Ab, Bb, C, D, Eb at frets 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11

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C locrian #2

The locrian #2 scale is the sixth mode of the melodic minor scale, locrian with its flat 2nd raised to a natural 2nd. That one change gives half-diminished chords a usable scale without the b9 rub against the root, which is why jazz players treat it as the polished choice over m7b5 in minor ii-V-i progressions.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

C

i°

Cdim
D

ii°

Ddim
E♭

biii

E♭m
F

iv

Fm
G♭

bV+

G♭aug
A♭

bVI

A♭maj
B♭

bVII

B♭maj

Characteristic note: D (natural 2), the natural second that makes this the friendlier half-diminished scale.

Same notes, different mode

C locrian #2 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.

D alteredEb melodic minorF dorian b2Gb lydian augmentedAb lydian dominantBb mixolydian b6

locrian #2 in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • Over a m7b5 chord, C locrian #2 (D#) is the polished choice: the natural 2nd (D) removes the b9 clash that plain locrian has against the root.
  • Think melodic minor up a minor 3rd from C; borrowed fingerings work as-is.
  • Start lines on the natural 2nd (D) to advertise the difference from locrian, then outline the half-diminished arpeggio.
  • In a minor ii-V-i, follow it with the altered scale of the V chord: two modes of neighboring melodic minors, one seamless line.

How to play C locrian #2 on guitar

Open D is the only string that rings inside C locrian #2, sounding the major second, so drone options stop at one string. Same fingering 3 frets up plays Eb melodic minor, which means every melodic minor shape you own already covers this scale. Tonic triad: Cdim, diminished. No functional dominant appears among the seven chords. Roots sit at fret 8 on the E strings and fret 3 on the A string, so anchors at 8 and 3 put it in two registers.

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