D Locrian #2 Guitar Scale — Drop B
Guitar scale in Drop B tuning — fretboard diagram
D Locrian #2 in Drop B — Notes and Intervals
The D Locrian #2 scale is a more usable and consonant version of the standard Locrian mode. On Guitar, it contains the notes D, E, F, G, Ab, Bb, C. It is the preferred choice for jazz musicians soloing over half-diminished chords, as its natural second degree allows for much smoother and more melodic voice leading. Commonly used in Jazz, Post-Bop, Contemporary. Notable players include John Coltrane, Woody Shaw, Steve Coleman. Use over m7b5 chords. The preferred jazz choice over half-diminished chords (vs standard Locrian which sounds too harsh).
Notes: D, E, F, G, Ab, Bb, C
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3m, 4P, 5d, 6m, 7m
Degrees: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7
Formula: W-H-W-H-W-W-W
Number of notes: 7
Tuning: Drop B (B-F#-B-E-G#-C#)
Also known as: half-diminished, aeolian b5
About Drop B Tuning
Drop B tuning (B-F#-B-E-G#-C#) takes the guitar into territory traditionally reserved for 7-string instruments, delivering a subsonic heaviness that you can feel in your chest. This tuning has become essential in modern extreme metal, deathcore, and djent, where low-end clarity and rhythmic precision are paramount.
Drop B represents the practical limit of what a standard 6-string guitar can handle before tone quality degrades. With the right string gauge (12-60 or heavier) and proper setup, it delivers the crushing lows of a 7-string while keeping the familiar 6-string layout. Bands like Architects, Periphery (on some tracks), and Parkway Drive have used Drop B to create some of the heaviest riffs in modern metal.
Notable artists: Architects, Parkway Drive, Whitechapel, Born of Osiris, Emmure
Best for: Extreme metal riffs, deathcore breakdowns, djent chugs, and any style demanding the lowest possible 6-string tuning
Explore This Scale in Other Tunings
- D Locrian #2 in Standard Tuning
- D Locrian #2 in Drop D
- D Locrian #2 in DADGAD
- D Locrian #2 in Open G
- D Locrian #2 in Baritone (B Standard)
- D Locrian #2 in 7-string
- D Locrian #2 in 8-string
- D Locrian #2 in Drop C
- D Locrian #2 in Open D
- D Locrian #2 in Half Step Down
- D Locrian #2 in Open E
- D Locrian #2 in Open A
- D Locrian #2 in Double Drop D
- D Locrian #2 in Open C