A Locrian ♮2 scale: notes, chords and guitar positions

Scale

Labels

Click

bpm

DroneE2

Drums

Bass

Colour key

R234p567

Each colour is a scale degree, counted from the key. A ♭ or ♯ note keeps its degree's colour: ♭3 is still amber.

A Locrian ♮2

Natural 2nd on a Locrian base. A smoother half-diminished.

Where you hear it: Over m7♭5 chords.

Key signature 3♭ (B♭ E♭ A♭)as E♭ major / C minor, plus A♮ B♮ written in

Step pattern W – H – W – H – W – W – W

Parent scale: C melodic minor (starts on its 6th degree)
Compared with A major: ♭3 C♯ → C, ♭5 E → E♭, ♭6 F♯ → F, ♭7 G♯ → G
Compared with A natural minor: ♭5 E → E♭

Hover to compare

A Locrian ♮2 on the guitar

R234p567

Shapes

Extra notes

Pick a position below to outline it on the neck.

in the pentatonic r ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭7: playedother notes of Locrian ♮2: not playedPlay runs up the position from its lowest note and back down; Sample melody plays a short tune using only its notes. Tap a position's name to see it on the neck.

Modes with the same notes as A Locrian ♮2

C Melodic minor1st degree D Dorian ♭22nd degree E♭ Lydian augmented3rd degree F Lydian dominant4th degree G Mixolydian ♭65th degree A Locrian ♮26th degree B Altered7th degree

Every chord in A Locrian ♮2

Am7♭51/15
easyfret 5· shell
Bm7♭51/12
easyfret 2· shell
Cm(maj7)1/6
mediumfret 3
Dm71/17
easyopen
E♭maj7♯51/10
easyfret 11· shell
F71/20
easyfret 1· shell
G71/20
easyopen

Each chord stacks every other note of the scale (root, 3rd, 5th, 7th). Tap a row to hear it.

Iconic progressions in A Locrian ♮2

A few well-known chord loops that bring out this scale’s sound. Play one through, or tap a chord to hear it.

i° – iv
Half-diminished tonic moving to a minor 7th chord. The natural 2nd makes this the least unstable of the Locrian-type modes.
i° – ♭VI – ♭VII
A diminished home chord with two major chords above it, ♭VI and ♭VII, climbing in steps.

Sus and extension chords from each chord

From Adim you can go through the 2nd of the scale to sus2 and 9 chords, through the 4th to sus4 and 11, and so on. All seven chords of A Locrian ♮2.

Hover or focus a small bubble for what it is, click to keep the note open.

i° Am7♭5

Notes: A C E♭ G

fret 5 · 1/9

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

ii° Bm7♭5

Notes: B D F A

fret 2 · 1/9

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭iii Cm(maj7)

Notes: C E♭ G B

fret 3 · 1/4

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

iv Dm7

Notes: D F A C

open · 1/12

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭V+ E♭maj7♯5

Notes: E♭ G B D

fret 8 · 1/6

Closest shape: leaves out a colour note.

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭VI F7

Notes: F A C E♭

fret 1 · 1/11

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭VII G7

Notes: G B D F

open · 1/13

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

Scale

Labels

Click

bpm

DroneE2

Drums

Bass

Colour key

R234p567

Each colour is a scale degree, counted from the key. A ♭ or ♯ note keeps its degree's colour: ♭3 is still amber.

A Locrian ♮2

Natural 2nd on a Locrian base. A smoother half-diminished.

Where you hear it: Over m7♭5 chords.

Key signature 3♭ (B♭ E♭ A♭)as E♭ major / C minor, plus A♮ B♮ written in

Step pattern W – H – W – H – W – W – W

Parent scale: C melodic minor (starts on its 6th degree)
Compared with A major: ♭3 C♯ → C, ♭5 E → E♭, ♭6 F♯ → F, ♭7 G♯ → G
Compared with A natural minor: ♭5 E → E♭

Hover to compare

A Locrian ♮2 on the guitar

R234p567

Shapes

Extra notes

Pick a position below to outline it on the neck.

Modes with the same notes as A Locrian ♮2

C Melodic minor1st degree D Dorian ♭22nd degree E♭ Lydian augmented3rd degree F Lydian dominant4th degree G Mixolydian ♭65th degree A Locrian ♮26th degree B Altered7th degree

Every chord in A Locrian ♮2

Am7♭51/15
easyfret 5· shell
Bm7♭51/12
easyfret 2· shell
Cm(maj7)1/6
mediumfret 3
Dm71/17
easyopen
E♭maj7♯51/10
easyfret 11· shell
F71/20
easyfret 1· shell
G71/20
easyopen

Each chord stacks every other note of the scale (root, 3rd, 5th, 7th). Tap a row to hear it.

Iconic progressions in A Locrian ♮2

A few well-known chord loops that bring out this scale’s sound. Play one through, or tap a chord to hear it.

i° – iv
Half-diminished tonic moving to a minor 7th chord. The natural 2nd makes this the least unstable of the Locrian-type modes.
i° – ♭VI – ♭VII
A diminished home chord with two major chords above it, ♭VI and ♭VII, climbing in steps.

Sus and extension chords from each chord

From Adim you can go through the 2nd of the scale to sus2 and 9 chords, through the 4th to sus4 and 11, and so on. All seven chords of A Locrian ♮2.

Hover or focus a small bubble for what it is, click to keep the note open.

i° Am7♭5

Notes: A C E♭ G

fret 5 · 1/9

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

ii° Bm7♭5

Notes: B D F A

fret 2 · 1/9

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭iii Cm(maj7)

Notes: C E♭ G B

fret 3 · 1/4

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

iv Dm7

Notes: D F A C

open · 1/12

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭V+ E♭maj7♯5

Notes: E♭ G B D

fret 8 · 1/6

Closest shape: leaves out a colour note.

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭VI F7

Notes: F A C E♭

fret 1 · 1/11

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭VII G7

Notes: G B D F

open · 1/13

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

Scales and modes

Colour key

A Locrian ♮2

A Locrian ♮2 on the guitar

Modes with the same notes as A Locrian ♮2

Every chord in A Locrian ♮2

Iconic progressions in A Locrian ♮2

i° – iv

i° – ♭VI – ♭VII

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Scales and modes

Colour key

A Locrian ♮2

A Locrian ♮2 on the guitar

Modes with the same notes as A Locrian ♮2

Every chord in A Locrian ♮2

Iconic progressions in A Locrian ♮2

i° – iv

i° – ♭VI – ♭VII

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour keyi

A Locrian ♮2

A Locrian ♮2 on the guitari

Modes with the same notes as A Locrian ♮2

Every chord in A Locrian ♮2

Iconic progressions in A Locrian ♮2

i° – iv

i° – ♭VI – ♭VII

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour keyi

A Locrian ♮2

A Locrian ♮2 on the guitari

Modes with the same notes as A Locrian ♮2

Every chord in A Locrian ♮2

Iconic progressions in A Locrian ♮2

i° – iv

i° – ♭VI – ♭VII

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour key

A Locrian ♮2 on the guitar

Colour key

A Locrian ♮2 on the guitar