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Scale · 7 notes

D♯ Locrian Scale

D♯ Locrian is a 7-note scale with the notes D♯ E F♯ G♯ A B C♯. It sounds unstable and dissonant, built on a diminished fifth.

EABC♯D♯F♯G♯

Purple = D♯ (the tonic) · green = other scale notes

On the fretboard

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

EADGBe135791215EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABD♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EG♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯

Blue = D♯ (the root) · green = other scale notes

Notes in the D♯ Locrian scale

DegreeNoteName
1D♯Tonic
♭2ESupertonic
♭3F♯Mediant
4G♯Subdominant
♭5ADominant
♭6BSubmediant
♭7C♯Subtonic

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

D♯ Locrian scale formula

The pattern of steps from one note to the next is H – W – 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 D♯ Locrian scale

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

DegreeTriad7th chord
i°D♯°D♯ø7
IIEEmaj7
iiiF♯mF♯m7
ivG♯mG♯m7
VAAmaj7
VIBB7
viiC♯mC♯m7

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

Related scales

  • Parent major scale: E Major, which has exactly the same notes as D♯ Locrian.

How to practise the D♯ Locrian scale

Learn each mode by its characteristic note: the one that makes it different from the major or minor scale it most resembles. Play a drone on the tonic while you play the scale to hear its colour.

Frequently asked questions

What are the notes in the D♯ Locrian scale?

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

What is the formula for the D♯ Locrian scale?

The pattern of whole and half steps is H – W – 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 D♯ Locrian scale?

Built from the scale in triads: D♯°, E, F♯m, G♯m, A, B, C♯m.

More D♯ scales

D♯ Natural Minor, D♯ Dorian, D♯ Phrygian, D♯ Minor Pentatonic, D♯ Blues, D♯ Altered, D♯ Dorian ♭2, D♯ Locrian ♯2

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.