Colour key
R234p567Each colour is a scale degree, counted from the key. A ♭ or ♯ note keeps its degree's colour: ♭3 is still amber.
A Locrian ♮6
Natural 6th against the ♭5. Dark, but less unstable than plain Locrian.
Where you hear it: Over the m7♭5 of a minor ii–V–i.
Step pattern H – W – W – H – W+H – H – W
- Parent scale: G harmonic minor (starts on its 2nd degree)
- Compared with A major: ♭2 B → B♭, ♭3 C♯ → C, ♭5 E → E♭, ♭7 G♯ → G
- Compared with A natural minor: ♭2 B → B♭, ♭5 E → E♭, ♯6 F → F♯
A Locrian ♮6 on the guitar
Pick a position below to outline it on the neck.
in the pentatonic r ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭7: playedother notes of Locrian ♮6: 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 ♮6
Every chord in A Locrian ♮6
- Am7♭51/14easyfret 5· shell
- B♭maj7♯51/9easyfret 6· shell
- Cm71/23easyfret 3· shell
- D71/19easyopen
- E♭maj71/16easyfret 11· shell
- F♯dim71/4easyfret 4
- Gm(maj7)1/4mediumfret 10
Each chord stacks every other note of the scale (root, 3rd, 5th, 7th). Tap a row to hear it.
Iconic progressions in A Locrian ♮6
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
The IV7 holds the natural 6th, the note that separates this mode from Locrian. A half-diminished tonic is rarely a home, so the IV gives it somewhere to lean.
♭iii – IV – i°
♭iii up to IV and down onto the diminished home chord: a short stepwise approach that points at the tonic.
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 ♮6.
Hover or focus a small bubble for what it is, click to keep the note open.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Closest shape: leaves out a colour note.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.