STRINGSCALES

D locrian 6 Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: F, G, Ab, B, C, D, Eb at frets 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11

A string: B, C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab at frets 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11

D string: D, Eb, F, G, Ab, B, C, D at frets 0, 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12

G string: G, Ab, B, C, D, Eb, F, G at frets 0, 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12

B string: B, C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, B at frets 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12

High E string: F, G, Ab, B, C, D, Eb at frets 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11

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D locrian 6

The locrian 6 scale, the second mode of the harmonic minor scale, is locrian with a natural 6th. The raised 6th relieves a little of locrian's claustrophobia and adds a strange brightness above the flat 5th. Use it over m7b5 chords in a minor key when the harmony is heading toward a harmonic-minor V chord.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

D

i°

Ddim
E♭

bII+

E♭aug
F

biii

Fm
G

IV

Gmaj
A♭

bV

A♭maj
B

vi°

Bdim
C

bvii

Cm

Characteristic note: B (natural 6), the natural sixth that softens locrian's darkness.

Same notes, different mode

D locrian 6 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.

Eb major augmentedF dorian #4G phrygian dominantAb lydian #9B ultralocrianC harmonic minor

locrian 6 in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • Over a m7b5 chord, use the natural 6th (B) as your feature note: it is the one brightness locrian never has.
  • It is the second mode of harmonic minor: D locrian 6 shares every note with the harmonic minor a whole step below.
  • Use D locrian 6 when the m7b5 chord moves on to a V7b9; the shared harmonic minor parent makes the two bars one continuous line.
  • Balance the register: keep the flat 2nd (Eb) and flat 5th (Ab) low in the phrase, then resolve upward through the natural 6th (B) to the root.

How to play D locrian 6 on guitar

Open D is the root and open G the fourth, which puts a real pedal under anything played in D locrian 6. Open B adds the major sixth. Fretted roots wait at fret 3 on the B string and fret 5 on the A string, so a second anchor sits inside first position. Lowest root is fret 10 on the low E, and the first shape stops working at fret 14.

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