ArpeggiosEN

Scale quality

locrian ♮2

Locrian natural two is the sixth degree of melodic minor: the locrian shape with a raised second, which removes the flat second's harshness and turns the scale into a smoother half-diminished sound. It is the scale of the m7♭5 chord when a natural ninth is wanted, and jazz players use it over half-diminished chords that are not resolving through a minor ii–V. The flat fifth remains, so the instability is still there, but the natural second gives the ear a gentler way in. Listen for the natural second against the flat fifth — tension with a softer edge.

Formula
1 2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7
Notes
C♯ D♯ E F♯ G A B
Family
Melodic minor modes

Notation in C♯

representative key
4412♭34♭5♭6♭71

Fretboard — frets 0–12

C♯ locrian ♮2 — frets 0 to 12, 47 notes, roots in orange♭34♭5♭6♭712♭3♭712♭34♭5♭6♭7♭5♭6♭712♭34♭52♭34♭5♭6♭71♭6♭712♭34♭5♭6♭34♭5♭6♭712♭30123456789101112
C♯ locrian ♮2 — frets 0 to 12, 47 notes, roots in orange♭34♭5♭6♭712♭3♭712♭34♭5♭6♭7♭5♭6♭712♭34♭52♭34♭5♭6♭71♭6♭712♭34♭5♭6♭34♭5♭6♭712♭30123456789101112

All 17 keys

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Same family

How to practise this scale

  • Play the natural second against the flat fifth and hold the softer tension.
  • Improvise over an m7♭5 chord that does not resolve through a minor cadence.
  • Compare it with locrian and hear what the raised second changes.
  • Play the scale slowly and listen for the natural ninth colour.