Locrian

The diminished mode — unstable and extremely rare

Locrian is the 7th major mode, built on the diminished degree of the major scale. It is the only mode whose root forms a diminished triad (1, ♭3, ♭5) rather than a major or minor one, which makes it inherently unstable. The ♭5 undermines any sense of a tonal center, so phrases rarely resolve.

NoSheet does not practice Locrian. It is extremely rare as a home key — almost no songs are "in Locrian" — and its diminished root triad makes it a poor fit for an ear-training curriculum built on stable major and minor triads. It is included here for completeness.

It appears occasionally in metal or jazz as a passing color, but almost always over a single chord rather than as the key itself.

357912151719214♭5♭6♭7C♭2♭34♭5♭6♭7C♭2♭7C♭2♭34♭5♭6♭7C♭2♭34♭5♭34♭5♭6♭7C♭2♭34♭5♭6♭7♭6♭7C♭2♭34♭5♭6♭7C♭2♭3C♭2♭34♭5♭6♭7C♭2♭34♭5♭64♭5♭6♭7C♭2♭34♭5♭6♭7C♭2
The instrumentTap a note to hear it.
C locrian
CC♭2D♭D♭ ionianD♭3E♭E♭ dorianE4FF phrygian♭5F♯F♯ lydianG♭6A♭A♭ mixolydianA♭7B♭B♭ aeolianB
C0D♭1E♭3F5F♯6A♭8B♭10
Circle of fifthsInside, the twelve notes by semitone — the wheel every set on this site is drawn on. Outside, the same twelve by fifths. 7 fifths from F♯ — F♯ D♭ A♭ E♭ B♭ F C. From C, locrian: C D♭ E♭ F F♯ A♭ B♭.

On your instrument, in your key

OnguitarbassukulelemandolinpianoInCD♭DE♭EFF♯GA♭AB♭B

Related

Contained byMajor ModesRelatedRoot & 5thPhrygianReferenced byTritone