B Locrian mode on bass

The Locrian mode, with its minor second and flat fifth, is the most unstable mode. It is mostly used over half-diminished chords, in jazz and metal.

On the whole neck

EADGEFGABCDEABCDEFGADEFGABCDGABCDEFG0123456789101112
EADGEFGABCDEABCDEFGADEFGABCDGABCDEFG0123456789101112

Position from fret 6

EADGBCDEFGABCDEF678910
EADGBCDEFGABCDEF678910

Root notes are filled. The position starts from the root on the 4th string (low E).

Notes of the scale

DegreeNoteInterval
1Broot
2Cminor second
3Dminor third
4Eperfect fourth
5Fdiminished fifth
6Gminor sixth
7Aminor seventh

Steps between notes: H – W – W – H – W – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step)

This mode uses the same notes as the C major scale, starting from another degree.

Chords of the scale

Triads built on each degree:

  1. Bdimi°
  2. CII
  3. Dmiii
  4. Emiv
  5. FV
  6. GVI
  7. Amvii

Other B scales

The same scale in other keys