D sharp 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

EADGBEEF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EABC♯D♯EF♯G♯AD♯EF♯G♯ABC♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯BC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABEF♯G♯ABC♯D♯E0123456789101112

Position from fret 10

EADGBED♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯AABC♯D♯EF♯1011121314

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
1D♯ (D sharp)root
2Eminor second
3F♯ (F sharp)minor third
4G♯ (G sharp)perfect fourth
5Adiminished fifth
6Bminor sixth
7C♯ (C sharp)minor 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 major scale, starting from another degree.

Chords of the scale

Triads built on each degree:

  1. D♯dimi°
  2. EII
  3. F♯miii
  4. G♯miv
  5. AV
  6. BVI
  7. C♯mvii

Other D♯ scales

The same scale in other keys