B Locrian mode on piano

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 keyboard

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Numbers above the keys are the scale degrees; the root is filled.

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