C sharp 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
1C♯ (C sharp)root
2Dminor second
3Eminor third
4F♯ (F sharp)perfect fourth
5Gdiminished fifth
6Aminor sixth
7Bminor 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 D major scale, starting from another degree.

Chords of the scale

Triads built on each degree:

  1. C♯dimi°
  2. DII
  3. Emiii
  4. F♯miv
  5. GV
  6. AVI
  7. Bmvii

Other C♯ scales

The same scale in other keys