F Locrian ♮6 Scale
F Locrian ♮6 contains 7 notes: F, G♭, A♭, B♭, C♭, D, E♭. It has 5 flats: G♭, A♭, B♭, C♭, E♭. The step pattern is H–W–W–H–W+H–H–W. It is derived from F Harmonic Minor.
Locrian natural 6 is a rare, dark mode that sounds slightly less bleak than standard Locrian. The natural 6th adds a glimmer of brightness to an otherwise unstable scale.
Built as 1 - b2 - b3 - 4 - b5 - 6 - b7, this is the 2nd mode of harmonic minor. It keeps Locrian's characteristic b2 and b5 but replaces the b6 with a natural 6, making it marginally more consonant. The tonic chord is m7b5 (half-diminished). It is also known as Dorian b2 b5.
Play your harmonic minor patterns but establish the 2nd degree as the tonal center. Because the mode is so unstable, it works best as a passing texture rather than a sustained tonality. Focus on using it over the ii chord (m7b5) in minor ii-V-i progressions.