Major ScaleDegree 7

Locrian

Murky grey-brown, like storm clouds before a downpour. Anxious and unstable.

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Scale NotesLocrian in C
C
D♭
E♭
F
G♭
A♭
B♭
Interval Formula
1♭2♭34♭5♭6♭7
Primary Chord
The tonic chord built from this mode
Cm7♭5

Chord Tones

CD♯F♯A♯

All Diatonic Chords

Cm7♭5C♯maj7D♯m7Fm7F♯maj7G♯7A♯m7
Chord Voicings
Guitar voicings for Cm7♭5
Cm7♭58Root, minor 7th, minor 3rd. Shell omits the b5; context and bass define the half-diminished quality.
Cm7♭57Root, b7, b3, b5. Four-note voicing that clearly spells out the half-diminished quality.
Cm7♭5Root, b5, b7, b3. Compact 5th-string drop-2 voicing with the b5 clearly present.
Fretboard

Locrian in C

123456789101112131415EADGBeFF♯G♯A♯CC♯D♯FF♯A♯CC♯D♯FF♯G♯A♯CD♯FF♯G♯A♯CC♯D♯FG♯A♯CC♯D♯FF♯G♯A♯CC♯D♯FF♯G♯A♯CC♯FF♯G♯A♯CC♯D♯FF♯
RootCharacteristic toneScale tone
Listen
Audio. Locrian in C
Tempo:
180 BPM

Musical Context

Diatonic Context
Chords built from the D♭ major scale — click any chord for voicings
Where to Use Locrian
Primary Chord
Cm7♭5
Function
Leading Tone
Key Context
The vii° chord in D♭ major

Unstable, tense, and restless.

Related Chord Voicings
Extensions, substitutions, and simplifications for Cm7♭5

Simplified Voicings

Example Progressions
Progressions where Locrian applies (in C)
I → IV
I: D♭maj7IV: G♭maj7

The first two chords of a minor ii-V-i without the resolution.

Practice in Play Along →
vii°
vii°: Cm7♭5

Sustained half-diminished chord for practicing Locrian or Locrian Natural 2.

Practice in Play Along →
vii° → vi → V → IV
vii°: Cm7♭5vi: B♭m7V: A♭7IV: G♭maj7

A chromatic descending bass line from the augmented III chord.

Practice in Play Along →
I
I: D♭maj7

A half-diminished vamp using Locrian ♮2.

Practice in Play Along →
Arpeggio Connection
The arpeggio that matches the Cm7♭5 chord
Half-Diminished 7th
Cm7♭5
Tones
C
R
E♭
♭3
G♭
♭5
B♭
♭7
Highlighted = guide tones (define chord quality)

Sound

Unstable, tense, and restless. Locrian is the darkest diatonic mode. the ♭5 means even the root chord is diminished. It never feels settled, always pulling toward resolution.

Practical Use Cases

  • ●Over m7♭5 (half-diminished) chords
  • ●The vii chord in a major key
  • ●Creating tension and unease
  • ●Brief passing usage in jazz progressions

Practical Notes

You'll encounter half-diminished chords constantly in jazz (it's the ii chord in a minor ii-V-i), but many players prefer Locrian Natural 2 (from melodic minor) because the natural 2nd sounds less harsh. Standard Locrian works fine for quick passing moments, but for sustained playing over m7♭5, Locrian ♮2 is generally smoother. Learn both and hear the difference.

diminisheddarkunstablehalf-diminished

Musical Examples

YYZ
suggested
Rush · Progressive Rock

Commonly cited as one of the few rock examples that touches Locrian territory. The b5 interval creates the unstable, dissonant quality in the riff.

Practice Drills

Ascending & Descending in One PositionBeginnerTechnique
5 min

Play the mode ascending and descending within a single five-fret box. Build muscle memory and connect the sound to the shape.

Three-Notes-Per-String PatternsIntermediateTechnique
10 min

Play the mode using three notes on every string, stretching across the neck. Great for building legato technique and hearing the scale in a linear way.

Emphasize Characteristic Tones on Strong BeatsIntermediateImprovisation
10 min

Create short melodic phrases that land the mode's characteristic tone(s) on beats 1 and 3. This trains you to bring out the sound that defines the mode.

Improvise Over a Matching ChordBeginnerImprovisation
5 min

Play the mode's parent chord as a loop (or use a backing track) and improvise over it for two minutes. This connects the mode to its harmonic context.

Create 3 Licks Using Only Strings 1–3IntermediateImprovisation
10 min

Compose three short licks (2–4 beats each) using only the top three strings. This forces creativity within a constraint and builds upper-register vocabulary.

Resolve from Tension to StabilityIntermediateEar Training
8 min

Practice approaching chord tones from a half step above or below, training your ear to hear tension resolve.

Try Locrian in Play Along

Practice improvising over real chord changes with guided scale and target note suggestions.

Compare With

Locrian vs Locrian ♮2
Both scales serve half-diminished (m7b5) chords, but they come from different parent scales and the natural 2nd degree makes Locrian ♮2 significantly more usable in practice.
Locrian vs Super Locrian ♭♭7
The darkest diatonic mode versus the darkest mode in the harmonic minor family. Both are extremely unstable, but they serve different chord types and come from different parent scales.

Related Modes

Locrian Natural 2Locrian Natural 6

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