D 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
Numbers above the keys are the scale degrees; the root is filled.
Notes of the scale
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | D | root |
| 2 | E♭ (E flat) | minor second |
| 3 | F | minor third |
| 4 | G | perfect fourth |
| 5 | A♭ (A flat) | diminished fifth |
| 6 | B♭ (B flat) | minor sixth |
| 7 | C | minor 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 E flat major scale, starting from another degree.
Chords of the scale
Triads built on each degree:
Other D scales
- Major
- Minor
- Harmonic minor
- Melodic minor
- Major pentatonic
- Minor pentatonic
- Blues
- Dorian
- Phrygian
- Lydian
- Mixolydian