About the D flat Locrian scale
D flat Locrian is used for jazz soloing over half-diminished chords and tense, dissonant passages. Think of it as the most unstable mode of all, restless and unresolved. It is D♭ Phrygian with the fifth lowered.
Its notes are D♭, E♭♭, F♭, G♭, A♭♭, B♭♭, and C♭. The formula is H W W H W W W. It is the seventh mode of E♭♭ Major.
Two of the notes in D♭ Locrian are black keys, D♭ and G♭.
Chords in the key of D flat Locrian
Expand a chord to see how to play it.
i° D flat diminished
D flat diminished over F flat (1st inversion)
II E double flat
E double flat over G flat (1st inversion)
iii F flat minor
F flat minor over A double flat (1st inversion)
iv G flat minor
G flat minor over B double flat (1st inversion)
V A double flat
A double flat over C flat (1st inversion)
VI B double flat
B double flat over D flat (1st inversion)
vii C flat minor
C flat minor over E double flat (1st inversion)
Seventh chords in D flat Locrian
The four-note version of each chord, richer and jazzier.
i° D flat minor seven flat five
D flat minor seven flat five
II E double flat major seven
E double flat major seven
iii F flat minor seven
F flat minor seven
iv G flat minor seven
G flat minor seven
V A double flat major seven
A double flat major seven
VI B double flat seven
B double flat seven
vii C flat minor seven
C flat minor seven
Progressions in D flat Locrian
Tap any chord to hear it, or play the whole progression.
Notes and intervals
| 1 | DbD♭ | Root |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | EbbE♭♭ | Minor 2nd |
| 3 | FbF♭ | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | GbG♭ | Perfect 4th |
| 5 | AbbA♭♭ | Diminished 5th |
| 6 | BbbB♭♭ | Minor 6th |
| 7 | CbC♭ | Minor 7th |
| Steps | H W W H W W W |
|---|---|
| Semitones | 1-2-2-1-2-2-2 |
| Degrees | 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7 |
Fingering
Suggested fingering, follows standard fingering rules
| Hand | D flat | E double flat | F flat | G flat | A double flat | B double flat | C flat | D flat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Left hand | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Shapes
Chromatic
Circle of Fifths
Related scales
Locrian in other keys
Modes
The same notes, starting on a different note.