D Locrian mode on guitar

The Locrian mode, with its minor second and flat fifth, is the most unstable mode. It is mostly used over half-diminished chords, in jazz and metal.

On the whole neck

EADGBEFGA♭B♭CDE♭B♭CDE♭FGA♭DE♭FGA♭B♭CDGA♭B♭CDE♭FGCDE♭FGA♭B♭FGA♭B♭CDE♭0123456789101112

Position from fret 9

EADGBEDE♭FGA♭B♭CDE♭FGA♭A♭B♭CDE♭F910111213

Root notes are filled. The position groups the notes of the scale in one area of the neck, starting from the root on the 6th string.

Notes of the scale

DegreeNoteInterval
1Droot
2E♭ (E flat)minor second
3Fminor third
4Gperfect fourth
5A♭ (A flat)diminished fifth
6B♭ (B flat)minor sixth
7Cminor seventh

Steps between notes: H – W – W – H – W – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step)

This mode uses the same notes as the E flat major scale, starting from another degree.

Chords of the scale

Triads built on each degree:

  1. Ddimi°
  2. E♭II
  3. Fmiii
  4. Gmiv
  5. A♭V
  6. B♭VI
  7. Cmvii

Other D scales

The same scale in other keys