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D locrian scale on bass guitar
D locrian contains D, E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭, and C. Box 1 places the root on string 3, fret 5 for a five-fret shape.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭2, ♭3, 4, ♭5, ♭6, ♭7
How do you play the D locrian scale on bass?
D locrian in box 1 runs from fret 1 to fret 4, 9 notes across 4 strings, from F on the E string at fret 1 up to B♭ on the G string at fret 3. No root falls inside this box; it sits between two of them.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 1, 3, 4 | F, G, A♭ |
| 3 (A) | 1, 3 | B♭, C |
| 2 (D) | 1, 3 | E♭, F |
| 1 (G) | 1, 3 | A♭, B♭ |
Box 2 · frets 3–6
D locrian in box 2 runs from fret 3 to fret 6, 11 notes across 4 strings, from G on the E string at fret 3 up to C on the G string at fret 5. The root falls on the A string at fret 5.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 3, 4, 6 | G, A♭, B♭ |
| 3 (A) | 3, 5, 6 | C, D, E♭ |
| 2 (D) | 3, 5, 6 | F, G, A♭ |
| 1 (G) | 3, 5 | B♭, C |
Box 3 · frets 6–8
D locrian in box 3 runs from fret 6 to fret 8, 8 notes across 4 strings, from B♭ on the E string at fret 6 up to E♭ on the G string at fret 8. The root falls on the G string at fret 7.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 6, 8 | B♭, C |
| 3 (A) | 6, 8 | E♭, F |
| 2 (D) | 6, 8 | A♭, B♭ |
| 1 (G) | 7, 8 | D, E♭ |
Box 4 · frets 8–11
D locrian in box 4 runs from fret 8 to fret 11, 10 notes across 4 strings, from C on the E string at fret 8 up to F on the G string at fret 10. The root falls on the E string at fret 10.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 8, 10, 11 | C, D, E♭ |
| 3 (A) | 8, 10, 11 | F, G, A♭ |
| 2 (D) | 8, 10 | B♭, C |
| 1 (G) | 8, 10 | E♭, F |
Box 5 · frets 10–13
D locrian in box 5 runs from fret 10 to fret 13, 12 notes across 4 strings, from D on the E string at fret 10 up to A♭ on the G string at fret 13. The root falls on the E string at fret 10 and the D string at fret 12.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 10, 11, 13 | D, E♭, F |
| 3 (A) | 10, 11, 13 | G, A♭, B♭ |
| 2 (D) | 10, 12, 13 | C, D, E♭ |
| 1 (G) | 10, 12, 13 | F, G, A♭ |
Why it sounds like that
D locrian is the seventh mode of F major, sharing its key signature of one flat. Lower the fifth of D phrygian by one semitone to get the diminished fifth. The scale contains a tritone between D and A♭, but no leading tone.
When to use it
D locrian fits D minor 7th flat 5th and D diminished chords. Use it over half-diminished progressions in F major, especially in jazz and metal. The ♭5 creates tension that resolves to E♭ major or F minor.
Which position to practise
Practise Box 1 first. The root sits on string 3, fret 5, keeping the hand low and the shape compact.
Common questions
What notes are in D locrian?
D locrian contains D, E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭, and C. The scale degrees are 1, ♭2, ♭3, 4, ♭5, ♭6, and ♭7. It has one flat in its key signature.
Which chords does D locrian fit?
D locrian fits D minor 7th flat 5th and D diminished chords. These chords occur as the seventh degree in F major. The scale's ♭5 matches the chord's diminished fifth.
How does D locrian differ from D phrygian?
D locrian differs from D phrygian by one note: the fifth is A♭ instead of A. This creates a diminished fifth instead of a perfect fifth. The rest of the notes are identical.