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Scale · 7 notes

C Locrian ♯2 Scale

C Locrian ♯2 is a 7-note scale with the notes C D E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭. It sounds the sixth mode of melodic minor: Locrian with a natural 2nd, the smoothest scale for half-diminished chords.

CDFE♭G♭A♭B♭

Purple = C (the tonic) · green = other scale notes

On the fretboard

Every C locrian ♯2 note on the neck. Pick a pattern to see the compact fingering shape that fits under one hand.

EADGBe135791215FG♭A♭B♭CDE♭FG♭B♭CDE♭FG♭A♭B♭CDE♭FG♭A♭B♭CDE♭FA♭B♭CDE♭FG♭A♭B♭CDE♭FG♭A♭B♭CDFG♭A♭B♭CDE♭FG♭

Blue = C (the root) · green = other scale notes

Notes in the C Locrian ♯2 scale

DegreeNoteName
1CTonic
2DSupertonic
♭3E♭Mediant
4FSubdominant
♭5G♭Dominant
♭6A♭Submediant
♭7B♭Subtonic

Each note uses a different letter name, so the spelling follows the scale rather than the keyboard: C D E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭.

C Locrian ♯2 scale formula

The pattern of steps from one note to the next is W – H – W – H – W – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step). Compared with the major scale the degrees are 1 2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7.

Chords in the C Locrian ♯2 scale

Stacking thirds on each note of the scale gives these chords:

DegreeTriad7th chord
i°C°Cø7
ii°D°Dø7
iiiE♭mE♭m(maj7)
ivFmFm7
V+G♭+G♭7♯5
VIA♭A♭7
VIIB♭B♭7

Chord names link to guitar chord shapes where we have them.

How to practise the C Locrian ♯2 scale

Learn it as a rotation of a scale you already know (lydian dominant is melodic minor starting on its 4th note, altered starts on its 7th) and play it over the matching chord with a drone on the root.

Frequently asked questions

What are the notes in the C Locrian ♯2 scale?

The notes of the C Locrian ♯2 scale are C D E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭.

What is the formula for the C Locrian ♯2 scale?

The pattern of whole and half steps is W – H – W – H – W – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step). In scale degrees: 1 2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7.

What chords are in the C Locrian ♯2 scale?

Built from the scale in triads: C°, D°, E♭m, Fm, G♭+, A♭, B♭.

More C scales

C Major, C Natural Minor, C Harmonic Minor, C Melodic Minor, C Dorian, C Phrygian, C Lydian, C Mixolydian, C Locrian, C Major Pentatonic, C Minor Pentatonic, C Blues, C Lydian Dominant, C Altered, C Whole Tone, C Dorian ♭2, C Lydian Augmented, C Mixolydian ♭6, C Phrygian Dominant, C Hungarian Minor, C Double Harmonic, C Diminished (W–H), C Diminished (H–W), C Bebop Dominant, C Bebop Major

Explore the full scales library, find a scale from notes with the scale finder, or see every chord in every key in the chord chart.