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Locrian scale
How to play the locrian scale
Locrian is the major scale started on its 7th note. Play every white key from B up to the next B and you have B locrian.
To play it from any other note, keep the formula: 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7. Compared with the major scale, each ♭ is one key lower and each ♯ one key higher.
Practice it slowly with each hand, then hold the bottom note in the left hand while the right hand plays the scale: that drone is the quickest way to hear the character of a mode.
Locrian scale in all 12 keys
| Key | Notes |
|---|---|
| C locrian | C D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C |
| D♭ locrian | D♭ E𝄫 F♭ G♭ A𝄫 B𝄫 C♭ D♭ |
| D locrian | D E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C D |
| E♭ locrian | E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ B𝄫 C♭ D♭ E♭ |
| E locrian | E F G A B♭ C D E |
| F locrian | F G♭ A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ F |
| F♯ locrian | F♯ G A B C D E F♯ |
| G locrian | G A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G |
| A♭ locrian | A♭ B𝄫 C♭ D♭ E𝄫 F♭ G♭ A♭ |
| A locrian | A B♭ C D E♭ F G A |
| B♭ locrian | B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ B♭ |
| B locrian | B C D E F G A B |