STRINGSCALES

C♯ locrian #2 Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D#, E at frets 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12

A string: A, B, C#, D#, E, F#, G, A at frets 0, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12

D string: D#, E, F#, G, A, B, C# at frets 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11

G string: G, A, B, C#, D#, E, F#, G at frets 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12

B string: B, C#, D#, E, F#, G, A, B at frets 0, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12

High E string: E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D#, E at frets 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12

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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°

C♯dim
D♯

ii°

D♯dim
E

biii

Em
F♯

iv

F♯m
G

bV+

Gaug
A

bVI

Amaj
B

bVII

Bmaj

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# alteredE melodic minorF# dorian b2G lydian augmentedA lydian dominantB mixolydian b6

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

tip
  • Over a m7b5 chord, C# locrian #2 (E) 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

Five open strings sound scale tones under C# locrian #2: low E, A, G, B and high E, so open color is everywhere even though the root never rings open. Same shape 3 frets above the tonic is E melodic minor, which means fingerings you already have carry over unchanged. Root anchors: fret 9 on each E string, fret 4 on the A string. Capo at fret 1 reads it as C shapes.

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