Colour key
R234p567Each colour is a scale degree, counted from the key. A ♭ or ♯ note keeps its degree's colour: ♭3 is still amber.
F♯ 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: G major (this mode starts on its 7th degree)
- Relative minor: E natural minor (starts on the 6th degree of G major)
- Compared with F♯ major: ♭2 G♯ → G, ♭3 A♯ → A, ♭5 C♯ → C, ♭6 D♯ → D, ♭7 E♯ → E
- Compared with F♯ natural minor: ♭2 G♯ → G, ♭5 C♯ → C
F♯ 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 F♯ Locrian
Every chord in F♯ Locrian
- F♯m7♭51/12easyfret 2· shell
- Gmaj71/21easyopen
- Am71/20easyopen
- Bm71/14easyopen
- Cmaj71/23easyopen
- D71/21easyopen
- Em71/19easyopen
Each chord stacks every other note of the scale (root, 3rd, 5th, 7th). Tap a row to hear it.
Iconic progressions in F♯ 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 F♯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 F♯ 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.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.