Superlocrian natural 6 Mode on Guitar: Notes, Chords & Examples

The Superlocrian ♮6 mode is tense, angular, and highly unstable, perfect for guitarists who like dark fusion lines, progressive metal riffs, and altered dominant sounds.

It has the danger of the altered scale, but with one important twist: the natural 6. That note gives the mode a slightly brighter, more “fusion” color compared to the regular Superlocrian scale, which usually has a flat 6.

This is not a soft, singable mode like Dorian or Mixolydian. C Superlocrian nat6 is more like a controlled explosion: dissonant, chromatic, and full of resolution energy.

Use it when you want:

Altered dominant tension
Dark modern jazz/fusion lines
Outside-sounding metal riffs
Chromatic progressive harmony
A dominant chord that sounds unstable but sophisticated

How does it sound?

Before anything else, let’s hear how it sounds. This can best be done by playing a chord from the mode, and playing the notes of the mode arpeggiated on top of it. This is the best and quickest way to determine the feel of a mode.

This can be quickly done using SLModes, a software dedicated to the music modes, and the following sound was generated by it:

What Is Superlocrian ♮6?

C Superlocrian ♮6 is an advanced synthetic mode commonly understood as a variation of the Superlocrian/altered dominant sound.

It contains:

A flat 2
A flat 3 / sharp 9 sound
A diminished 4, enharmonically the major 3rd
A flat 5
A natural 6
A flat 7

That combination creates a strong dominant 7 altered color.

The natural 6 is what makes this mode different from the standard altered scale. In C, that note is A, which sounds like a natural 13 over C7.

So instead of a fully dark C7alt sound with b13, you get something more open and fusion-like:

C7 with b9, #9, b5, and natural 13.

Formula

The interval formula for C Superlocrian ♮6 is:

1 b2 b3 b4 b5 6 b7

Using strict interval names:

P1 m2 m3 d4 d5 M6 m7

For guitarists and improvisers, it is often easier to think of it over a dominant chord as:

1 b9 #9 3 b5 13 b7

That means the same pitch collection can be interpreted two ways:

Theoretically: b3 and b4
Functionally over C7: #9 and major 3rd

This enharmonic flexibility is part of the mode’s sound.

Notes in C

The notes of C Superlocrian ♮6 are:

C Db Eb Fb Gb A Bb

Because Fb is enharmonic to E, guitarists will often see or play it as:

C Db Eb E Gb A Bb

Both spellings matter.

The strict spelling shows the modal structure:

C Db Eb Fb Gb A Bb

The practical dominant-chord spelling shows the sound over C7:

C Db Eb E Gb A Bb

The Chord That Defines the Mode

The defining chord of C Superlocrian ♮6 is:

C13(b9 #9 b5)

You could also write it as:

C7(b9 #9 b5 13)

Chord tones and tensions:

C = root
E / Fb = major 3rd, spelled as diminished 4 in the mode
Gb = b5
Bb = b7
Db = b9
Eb = #9
A = natural 13

This chord captures the mode because it contains the main altered dominant colors while keeping the natural 6/13.

That A natural is the important note. In a regular C altered scale, you would usually hear Ab as the b13. Here, the A gives the chord a sharper, more modern fusion quality.

A simple voicing idea on guitar:

C13(b9 b5)

E|---x---
B|---6---  A  = 13
G|---3---  Bb = b7
D|---4---  Gb = b5
A|---3---  C  = root
E|---x---

You can add the b9 or #9 melodically on top:

Db = b9
Eb = #9

Chord Progression (Example)

Because C Superlocrian ♮6 is so tense, it works best in short vamps, modal riffs, or dominant-function moments.

The key is to keep C feeling like the tonal center.

Roman numerals:

I7(b9 #9 b5 13) – bV – bIIImin – I7(b9 #9 b5 13)

In C:

C13(b9 #9 b5) – Gb – Ebm – C13(b9 #9 b5)

This progression has a dark, cinematic fusion sound.

The Gb major chord emphasizes the b5 area, while Ebm brings out the #9/minor-third color. Returning to C13 altered keeps the whole thing unstable and tense.

Great for:

Fusion rhythm guitar
Progressive rock sections
Dark soundtrack-style harmony

Guitar Fretboard Shape

Here’s the mode mapped across the full fretboard, generated with my software SLModes.

The diagram shows every occurrence of the mode across the neck:

🟢 Green dots = the root note, your anchor points
🟠 Orange dots = the rest of the scale tones

Why Guitarists Love This Mode

C Superlocrian ♮6 sounds tense, unstable, and modern.

It has the classic altered dominant darkness from:

But the natural 6 gives it a slightly more open sound than the regular altered scale.

That makes it great for players who want something dark without sounding completely closed or diminished.

Genres Where It Works Well

C Superlocrian ♮6 fits naturally in:

Jazz fusion
Progressive rock
Progressive metal
Modern metal
Experimental rock
Film/game scoring
Advanced blues-jazz dominant soloing

It is not usually a “mainstream pop songwriting” mode, but it is powerful for short moments of high tension.

Tips for Practicing

To practice a mode effectively, you only need two things:

An instrument to play the mode (your guitar is ready to go!)
A backing track that provides a harmonic context

The fretboard diagram above already show you where the notes are. The remaining piece is choosing an appropriate backing track to improvise over.

Practice with a drone

The simplest option is a single C drone.

You can create one using:

A looper pedal
A synth drone
A sustained bass note in your DAW
An open C tuning
Or any other source of a continuous C note

Because the accompaniment consists of only a single note, you are responsible for highlighting the intervals that define the mode. The more intentionally you emphasize its characteristic tones, the more clearly the modal sound will emerge.

Create modal vamps with SLModes

While a drone is an excellent way to hear a mode in isolation, a modal vamp often provides a more musical and rewarding practice experience.

A well-designed backing track naturally emphasizes the mode’s characteristic intervals, allowing you to focus on phrasing, melody, and expression instead of constantly trying to establish the modal sound yourself. As a result, improvising in the character of the mode often feels more intuitive.

There are many ways to build modal backing tracks, but SLModes can generate them for you in just a few clicks. For example:

Arpeggiated backing tracks — a repeating pattern that outlines every note of the mode.
Chord vamps — progressions built from chords that best reinforce the mode’s unique character.

This video shows you an example: