About the A Locrian scale
A Locrian is used for jazz soloing over half-diminished chords and tense, dissonant passages. Think of it as the most unstable mode of all, restless and unresolved. It is A Phrygian with the fifth lowered.
Its notes are A, B♭, C, D, E♭, F, and G. The formula is H W W H W W W. It is the seventh mode of B♭ Major.
The black keys B♭ and E♭ belong to the key.
Chords in the key of A Locrian
Expand a chord to see how to play it.
i° A diminished
A diminished over C (1st inversion)
II B flat
B flat over D (1st inversion)
iii C minor
C minor over E flat (1st inversion)
iv D minor
D minor over F (1st inversion)
V E flat
E flat over G (1st inversion)
VI F
F over A (1st inversion)
vii G minor
G minor over B flat (1st inversion)
Seventh chords in A Locrian
The four-note version of each chord, richer and jazzier.
i° A minor seven flat five
A minor seven flat five
II B flat major seven
B flat major seven
iii C minor seven
C minor seven
iv D minor seven
D minor seven
V E flat major seven
E flat major seven
VI F seven
F seven
vii G minor seven
G minor seven
Progressions in A Locrian
Tap any chord to hear it, or play the whole progression.
Notes and intervals
| 1 | AA | Root |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | BbB♭ | Minor 2nd |
| 3 | CC | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | DD | Perfect 4th |
| 5 | EbE♭ | Diminished 5th |
| 6 | FF | Minor 6th |
| 7 | GG | Minor 7th |
| Steps | H W W H W W W |
|---|---|
| Semitones | 1-2-2-1-2-2-2 |
| Degrees | 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7 |
Fingering
Suggested fingering, follows standard fingering rules
| Hand | A | B flat | C | D | E flat | F | G | A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Left hand | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Shapes
Chromatic
Circle of Fifths
Related scales
Locrian in other keys
Modes
The same notes, starting on a different note.