C
Notes: C, Db, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, C
Locrian Mode
The Locrian Mode is one of the seven modes. The B Locrian has the same notes as in C Major, but the tonic starts at B. Compared to the Major scale, all notes except the tonic and 4th degree are flattened. This creates a diminished character and gives the Locrian Scale an unstable sound.
The chords built from the tonic is diminished, such as Bdim that includes the notes B, D and F. An especially common choice is to use this scale over half-diminished chords and it is probably most used in jazz. See also Super Locrian Scale.
C# / Db
Notes: C#, D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#
D
Notes: D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C, D
D# /Eb
Notes: D#, E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#
E
Notes: E, F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E
F
Notes: F, F#, G#, A#, B, C#, D#, F
F# / Gb
Notes: F#, G, A, B, C, D, E, F#
G
Notes: G, Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, G
G# / Ab
Notes: G#, A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#
A
Notes: A, Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G, A
A# / Bb
Notes: A#, B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A#
B
Notes: B, C, D, E, F, G, A, B
Locrian Scales overview
C: C, Db, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, C
C#/Db: C#, D, E, F#, G, A, B, C# / Db, Ebb (D), Fb (E), Gb, Abb (G), Bbb (A), Cb (B), Db
D: D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C, D
D#/Eb: D#, E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D# / Eb, Fb (E), Gb, Ab, Bbb (A), Cb (B), Db, Eb
E: E, F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E
F: F, F#, G#, A#, B, C#, D#, F
F#/Gb: F#, G, A, B, C, D, E, F# / Gb, Abb (G), Bbb (A), Cb (B), Dbb (C), Ebb (D), Fb (E), Gb
G: G, Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, G
G#/Ab: G#, A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G# / Ab, Bbb (A), Cb (B), Db, Ebb (D), Fb (E), Gb, Ab
A: A, Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G, A
A#/Bb: A#, B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A# / Bb, Cb (B), Db, Eb, Fb (E), Gb, Ab, Bb
B: B, C, D, E, F, G, A, B
Intervals: 1, b2, b3, 4, b5, b6, b7
Semi-notes: 1 - 2 - 2 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 2
Formula: Half, Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Whole
Locrian scales with note letters (sheet music PDF)
The Locrian scales in musical notes are available in the member area.
The scale in all keys (without note names) can be downloaded as a PDF-file.
Relative keys – Locrian and Major
The same notes can be found in different Major and Locrian scales:
- C Locrian – Db Major
- C# Locrian – D Major
- D Locrian – Eb Major
- D# Locrian – E Major
- E Locrian - F Major
- F Locrian – F# Major
- F# Locrian – G Major
- G Locrian – G# Major
- G# Locrian – A Major
- A Locrian – A# Major
- A# Locrian – B Major
- B Locrian – C Major
It is only a semi-step between the roots in the relative scales. One way to approach this relationship is to view B Locrian as C Major starting from its 7th degree.
The ancient heritage
The Locrian Scale emerged in the ancient Greece together with other scales such as Aeolian and Dorian. The names were taken from regions or people – the Locrians once lived in Central Greece.
Altered Locrian #2 and b4
Two relevant scales are the Altered Locrian #2 (sharp two) and the Altered Locrian b4 (flat four), also known as the Super Locrian. These are identical to the Locrian except for the raised second and flattened fourth.