Colour key
R234p567Each colour is a scale degree, counted from the key. A ♭ or ♯ note keeps its degree's colour: ♭3 is still amber.
B♭ 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: A♭ harmonic minor (starts on its 2nd degree)
- Compared with B♭ major: ♭2 C → C♭, ♭3 D → D♭, ♭5 F → F♭, ♭7 A → A♭
- Compared with B♭ natural minor: ♭2 C → C♭, ♭5 F → F♭, ♯6 G♭ → G
B♭ 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 B♭ Locrian ♮6
Every chord in B♭ Locrian ♮6
- B♭m7♭51/14easyfret 1· shell
- C♭maj7♯51/9easyfret 7· shell
- D♭m71/23easyfret 4· shell
- E♭71/17easyfret 8· shell
- F♭maj71/17easyfret 12· shell
- Gdim71/4easyfret 5
- A♭m(maj7)1/4mediumfret 11
Each chord stacks every other note of the scale (root, 3rd, 5th, 7th). Tap a row to hear it.
Iconic progressions in B♭ 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 B♭dim 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 B♭ 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.