D Locrian Pentatonic Piano Scale
Piano scale diagramAdvanced
D Locrian Pentatonic Scale — Notes and Intervals
The D Locrian Pentatonic scale is an unstable and mysterious scale used to evoke tension and ambiguity. On Piano, its notes are D, F, G, Ab, C. It is often found in experimental music and certain Indian Ragas, providing a dissonant, outside sound that is perfect for dark, avant-garde, or high-tension compositions. Commonly used in Jazz, Fusion, Experimental, Progressive. Notable players include John Scofield, Kurt Rosenwinkel. Use over m7b5 (half-diminished) chords. Essential for jazz solos over ii chords in minor ii-V-i progressions.
Notes: D, F, G, Ab, C
Intervals: 1P, 3m, 4P, 5d, 7m
Degrees: 1 b2 3 4 b5
Formula: WH-W-H-4-W
Number of notes: 5
Also known as: minor seven flat five pentatonic
Musical Character
The darkest pentatonic — contains the b5 that defines the Locrian sound. Excellent for outlining m7b5 chords in jazz with minimal notes.
Genres & Notable Artists
Genres: Jazz, Fusion, Experimental, Progressive
Notable players: John Scofield, Kurt Rosenwinkel
How to Use the D Locrian Pentatonic Scale
Use over m7b5 (half-diminished) chords. Essential for jazz solos over ii chords in minor ii-V-i progressions.
Origin & Background
Jazz-derived pentatonic for navigating half-diminished chord changes with clarity.
How to Play D Locrian Pentatonic on Piano
On piano, the D Locrian Pentatonic scale uses 1 black key. Start with your thumb on D and use the black keys as landmarks for consistent finger placement. Standard major or minor fingering patterns apply.
The D Locrian Pentatonic scale contains 1 flat (Ab). This scale does not follow a traditional major or minor key signature, so reading from sheet music may require accidentals.
Practice Routine
Set a metronome to 100 BPM and play the D Locrian Pentatonic scale in groups of four notes, shifting the starting note each repetition. This builds muscle memory across the entire scale range. After a week, try improvising short 4-bar phrases using only these notes.
This scale works well over simple power chord progressions or a 12-bar blues in D. Try a D5 - Ab5 - C5 progression. This scale is especially effective in jazz contexts.
Piano Tips
At the piano, try voicing the D Locrian Pentatonic scale in the left hand as blocked intervals (thirds or sixths) while the right hand plays the melody. This develops your harmonic ear and comping skills simultaneously. Aim for a dark quality in your phrasing to match the natural character of this scale.
Related Scales
Locrian Pentatonic is the Five-note Locrian subset. View D Locrian scale
The D Locrian Pentatonic scale contains 5 notes (D, F, G, Ab, C). Use the interactive piano diagram above to explore this scale on Piano.