Locrian #6 (Locrian Natural 6) is a half-diminished scale with a natural 6th instead of the usual b6. This brightens the otherwise dark Locrian sound slightly, giving it a distinctive color.
Scale Formula
1 b2 b3 4 b5 6 b7 - Locrian with natural 6. Semitone pattern: H W W H WH H W
Fretboard (C Locrian #6)
Toggle to interval view and compare with regular Locrian and Locrian #2. Each variant changes one degree, creating a different shade of half-diminished color.
Common Chords
Half-diminished 7th (1 b3 b5 b7), Minor 7b5 (1 b3 b5 b7).
Diatonic Harmony
Improvisation Context
Play over half-diminished (m7b5) chords. An alternative to Locrian #2 with a different color - the natural 6 and b2 give it a unique character compared to the melodic minor approach.
Practice
Play C Locrian #6 over a Cm7b5 chord. Compare it with Locrian #2 (from melodic minor) over the same chord. Locrian #6 has a b2 (darker) but a natural 6 (brighter), while Locrian #2 has a natural 2 (smoother) but a b6 (darker). Try both and decide which color suits different musical contexts.