STRINGSCALES

E locrian 6 Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, F, G, A, Bb, C#, D, E at frets 0, 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12

A string: A, Bb, C#, D, E, F, G, A at frets 0, 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12

D string: D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C#, D at frets 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12

G string: G, A, Bb, C#, D, E, F, G at frets 0, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12

B string: C#, D, E, F, G, A, Bb at frets 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11

High E string: E, F, G, A, Bb, C#, D, E at frets 0, 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12

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E 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:

E

i°

Edim
F

bII+

Faug
G

biii

Gm
A

IV

Amaj
B♭

bV

B♭maj
C♯

vi°

C♯dim
D

bvii

Dm

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

Same notes, different mode

E 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.

F major augmentedG dorian #4A phrygian dominantBb lydian #9C# ultralocrianD harmonic minor

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

tip
  • Over a m7b5 chord, use the natural 6th (C#) as your feature note: it is the one brightness locrian never has.
  • It is the second mode of harmonic minor: E locrian 6 shares every note with the harmonic minor a whole step below.
  • Use E 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 (F) and flat 5th (Bb) low in the phrase, then resolve upward through the natural 6th (C#) to the root.

How to play E locrian 6 on guitar

Open low E and open high E are both roots, with the open A a fourth above, so a full drone bed comes for free. Five of the six strings ring scale tones. Since the root is the open low E, box one ends at fret 4, which puts the next shape unusually close to the nut. Edim is the tonic triad, with Faug on the lowered second.

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