About the G flat Locrian scale
G flat 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 G♭ Phrygian with the fifth lowered.
Its notes are G♭, A♭♭, B♭♭, C♭, D♭♭, E♭♭, and F♭. The formula is H W W H W W W. It is the seventh mode of A♭♭ Major.
On the piano, the scale touches the black key G♭. Ascending through the mode, six white keys fall in a row.
Chords in the key of G flat Locrian
Expand a chord to see how to play it.
i° G flat diminished
G flat diminished over B double flat (1st inversion)
II A double flat
A double flat over C flat (1st inversion)
iii B double flat minor
B double flat minor over D double flat (1st inversion)
iv C flat minor
C flat minor over E double flat (1st inversion)
V D double flat
D double flat over F flat (1st inversion)
VI E double flat
E double flat over G flat (1st inversion)
vii F flat minor
F flat minor over A double flat (1st inversion)
Seventh chords in G flat Locrian
The four-note version of each chord, richer and jazzier.
i° G flat minor seven flat five
G flat minor seven flat five
II A double flat major seven
A double flat major seven
iii B double flat minor seven
B double flat minor seven
iv C flat minor seven
C flat minor seven
V D double flat major seven
D double flat major seven
VI E double flat seven
E double flat seven
vii F flat minor seven
F flat minor seven
Progressions in G flat Locrian
Tap any chord to hear it, or play the whole progression.
Notes and intervals
| 1 | GbG♭ | Root |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | AbbA♭♭ | Minor 2nd |
| 3 | BbbB♭♭ | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | CbC♭ | Perfect 4th |
| 5 | DbbD♭♭ | Diminished 5th |
| 6 | EbbE♭♭ | Minor 6th |
| 7 | FbF♭ | 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 | G flat | A double flat | B double flat | C flat | D double flat | E double flat | F flat | G flat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Left hand | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
Shapes
Chromatic
Circle of Fifths
Related scales
Locrian in other keys
Modes
The same notes, starting on a different note.