Locrian ♯2 Scales on Piano

The Locrian ♯2 scale is the sixth mode of the melodic minor scale — a subtle but important variation on the standard Locrian mode that raises the second degree from flat to natural. This single change removes the minor second interval from the root, making the scale more usable over half-diminished (m7♭5) chords in jazz without the harsh ♭2 clash against the root.

Formula: W–H–W–H–W–W–W (whole–half–whole–half–whole–whole–whole)

Intervals: P1–M2–m3–P4–d5–m6–m7–P8

Scale degrees: 1–2–♭3–4–♭5–♭6–♭7

Sound: Dark, jazz, sophisticated, less harsh than Locrian

Also known as: Locrian ♮2, Aeolian ♭5, 6th mode of melodic minor

The jazz player’s Locrian fix: Standard Locrian has a ♭2 that clashes against the root of a half-diminished chord. Raising it to a natural 2 preserves the diminished-fifth character of the chord while eliminating the dissonance. This is why jazz musicians reach for Locrian ♯2 over m7♭5 chords in ii–V–i progressions.