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Scale · 7 notes

D♯ Locrian ♯2 Scale

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

E♯ABC♯D♯F♯G♯

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

On the fretboard

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

EADGBe135791215E♯F♯G♯ABC♯D♯E♯F♯ABC♯D♯E♯F♯G♯ABD♯E♯F♯G♯ABC♯D♯E♯G♯ABC♯D♯E♯F♯G♯ABC♯D♯E♯F♯G♯ABC♯E♯F♯G♯ABC♯D♯E♯F♯

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

Notes in the D♯ Locrian ♯2 scale

DegreeNoteName
1D♯Tonic
2E♯Supertonic
♭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 ♯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 D♯ Locrian ♯2 scale

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

DegreeTriad7th chord
i°D♯°D♯ø7
ii°E♯°E♯ø7
iiiF♯mF♯m(maj7)
ivG♯mG♯m7
V+A+A7♯5
VIBB7
VIIC♯C♯7

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

How to practise the D♯ 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 D♯ Locrian ♯2 scale?

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

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

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

More D♯ scales

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