Harmonic MinorDegree 2

Locrian Natural 6

Dark charcoal with a sudden flash of orange. Unsettling contrast. like finding a flower growing in a crack in concrete.

Ask Coach
Scale NotesLocrian Natural 6 in C
C
D♭
E♭
F
G♭
A
B♭
Interval Formula
1♭2♭34♭56♭7
Primary Chord
The tonic chord built from this mode
Cm7♭5

Chord Tones

CD♯F♯A♯

All Diatonic Chords

Cm7♭5C♯maj7D♯m7Fm(maj7)F♯maj7♯5A7A♯m7
Chord Voicings
Guitar voicings for Cm7♭5
Cm7♭58Root, minor 7th, minor 3rd. Shell omits the b5; context and bass define the half-diminished quality.
Cm7♭57Root, b7, b3, b5. Four-note voicing that clearly spells out the half-diminished quality.
Cm7♭5Root, b5, b7, b3. Compact 5th-string drop-2 voicing with the b5 clearly present.
Fretboard

Locrian Natural 6 in C

123456789101112131415EADGBeFF♯AA♯CC♯D♯FF♯AA♯CC♯D♯FF♯AA♯CD♯FF♯AA♯CC♯D♯FAA♯CC♯D♯FF♯AA♯CC♯D♯FF♯AA♯CC♯FF♯AA♯CC♯D♯FF♯
RootCharacteristic toneScale tone
Listen
Audio. Locrian Natural 6 in C
Tempo:
180 BPM

Musical Context

Diatonic Context
Chords built from the B♭ harmonic minor scale — click any chord for voicings
Where to Use Locrian Natural 6
Primary Chord
Cm7♭5
Function
Subdominant
Key Context
The ii° chord in B♭ harmonic minor

A Locrian variant with an unexpected natural 6th that creates an augmented 2nd gap.

Related Chord Voicings
Extensions, substitutions, and simplifications for Cm7♭5

Simplified Voicings

Example Progressions
Progressions where Locrian Natural 6 applies (in C)
III⁺ → VI
III⁺: D♭maj7♯5VI: G♭maj7

The first two chords of a minor ii-V-i without the resolution.

Practice in Play Along →
ii°
ii°: Cm7♭5

Sustained half-diminished chord for practicing Locrian or Locrian Natural 2.

Practice in Play Along →
III⁺ → VI → ii° → vii°
III⁺: D♭maj7♯5VI: G♭maj7ii°: Cm7♭5vii°: Adim7

A minor key turnaround where the ii∅ chord uses Locrian ♮6 — the natural 6 adds warmth compared to standard Locrian.

Practice in Play Along →
Arpeggio Connection
The arpeggio that matches the Cm7♭5 chord
Half-Diminished 7th
Cm7♭5
Tones
C
R
E♭
♭3
G♭
♭5
B♭
♭7
Highlighted = guide tones (define chord quality)

Sound

A Locrian variant with an unexpected natural 6th that creates an augmented 2nd gap. Harsh and exotic. the ♭2 and ♭5 keep it dark, but the natural 6th adds an angular, unexpected brightness.

Practical Use Cases

  • ●Over m7♭5 chords in harmonic minor contexts
  • ●ii chord in a harmonic minor ii-V-i
  • ●When the harmonic context specifically implies harmonic minor

Practical Notes

This is the second mode of harmonic minor. It's another option for m7♭5 chords, but the natural 6th creates an augmented 2nd interval that can sound awkward in melodic lines. Most jazz players prefer Locrian ♮2 (from melodic minor) for half-diminished chords. Use this one when you're specifically thinking in harmonic minor. for example, if the whole progression is clearly in a harmonic minor key. Otherwise, Locrian ♮2 is usually smoother.

half-diminishedharmonic-minor-familyadvancedangular

Practice Drills

Ascending & Descending in One PositionBeginnerTechnique
5 min

Play the mode ascending and descending within a single five-fret box. Build muscle memory and connect the sound to the shape.

Three-Notes-Per-String PatternsIntermediateTechnique
10 min

Play the mode using three notes on every string, stretching across the neck. Great for building legato technique and hearing the scale in a linear way.

Emphasize Characteristic Tones on Strong BeatsIntermediateImprovisation
10 min

Create short melodic phrases that land the mode's characteristic tone(s) on beats 1 and 3. This trains you to bring out the sound that defines the mode.

Improvise Over a Matching ChordBeginnerImprovisation
5 min

Play the mode's parent chord as a loop (or use a backing track) and improvise over it for two minutes. This connects the mode to its harmonic context.

Create 3 Licks Using Only Strings 1–3IntermediateImprovisation
10 min

Compose three short licks (2–4 beats each) using only the top three strings. This forces creativity within a constraint and builds upper-register vocabulary.

Resolve from Tension to StabilityIntermediateEar Training
8 min

Practice approaching chord tones from a half step above or below, training your ear to hear tension resolve.

Try Locrian Natural 6 in Play Along

Practice improvising over real chord changes with guided scale and target note suggestions.

Related Modes

LocrianLocrian Natural 2

Your Notes

Your Notes

No notes yet for Locrian Natural 6.

Start capturing your observations.