STRINGSCALES

E♭ locrian #2 Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: F, Gb, Ab, Bbb, Cb, Db, Eb at frets 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11

A string: Bbb, Cb, Db, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bbb at frets 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12

D string: Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bbb, Cb, Db at frets 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11

G string: Ab, Bbb, Cb, Db, Eb, F, Gb at frets 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11

B string: Cb, Db, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bbb, Cb at frets 0, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12

High E string: F, Gb, Ab, Bbb, Cb, Db, Eb at frets 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11

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Eb 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:

E♭

i°

E♭dim
F

ii°

Fdim
G♭

biii

G♭m
A♭

iv

A♭m
B𝄫

bV+

B𝄫aug
C♭

bVI

C♭maj
D♭

bVII

D♭maj

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

Same notes, different mode

Eb 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.

F alteredGb melodic minorAb dorian b2A lydian augmentedCb lydian dominantDb mixolydian b6

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

tip
  • Over a m7b5 chord, Eb locrian #2 (F#) is the polished choice: the natural 2nd (F) removes the b9 clash that plain locrian has against the root.
  • Think melodic minor up a minor 3rd from Eb; borrowed fingerings work as-is.
  • Start lines on the natural 2nd (F) 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 E♭ locrian #2 on guitar

Six flats deep, Eb locrian #2 still touches two open strings: A sounds the diminished fifth, spelled Bbb, and B sounds Cb, so even this spelling keeps some open-string access. Capo at fret 1 and read it as D shapes, which means the flats stay on paper instead of under your fingers. Lowest root: fret 11 on the low E string. F# melodic minor shares the fingering 3 frets up, with the first position running out at fret 15.

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