Colour key
R234p567Each colour is a scale degree, counted from the key. A ♭ or ♯ note keeps its degree's colour: ♭3 is still amber.
B♭ Locrian
♭5 and ♭2: an unstable diminished tonic. Dissonant; rarely used as a home key.
Where you hear it: Over m7♭5 chords (the ii of a minor ii–V–i).
Step pattern H – W – W – H – W – W – W
- Relative major: B major (this mode starts on its 7th degree)
- Relative minor: A♭ natural minor (starts on the 6th degree of B major)
- Compared with B♭ major: ♭2 C → C♭, ♭3 D → D♭, ♭5 F → F♭, ♭6 G → G♭, ♭7 A → A♭
- Compared with B♭ natural minor: ♭2 C → C♭, ♭5 F → F♭
B♭ Locrian on the guitar
Pick a position below to outline it on the neck.
in the pentatonic r ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭7: playedother notes of Locrian: not playedPlay runs up the position from its lowest note and back down; Sample melody plays a short tune using only its notes. Tap a position's name to see it on the neck.
Modes with the same notes as B♭ Locrian
Every chord in B♭ Locrian
- B♭m7♭51/12easyfret 1· shell
- C♭maj71/19easyfret 7· shell
- D♭m71/18easyfret 4· shell
- E♭m71/13easyfret 6· shell
- F♭maj71/21easyfret 12· shell
- G♭71/19easyfret 2· shell
- A♭m71/16easyfret 4· shell
Each chord stacks every other note of the scale (root, 3rd, 5th, 7th). Tap a row to hear it.
Iconic progressions in B♭ Locrian
A few well-known chord loops that bring out this scale’s sound. Play one through, or tap a chord to hear it.
i° – ♭II
Locrian is rarely a home key because its tonic chord is diminished. Alternating that chord with the major ♭II, a half step above, is the clearest way to make it sound like home.
♭V – ♭II – i°
The ♭V major chord falls to ♭II, and ♭II falls a half step onto the diminished home chord. Roots moving down is what lets an unstable chord feel like an ending.
Sus and extension chords from each chord
From B♭dim you can go through the 2nd of the scale to sus2 and 9 chords, through the 4th to sus4 and 11, and so on. All seven chords of B♭ Locrian.
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Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.