B Locrian
A minor diatonic mode with a minor 2nd and diminished 5th above the tonic; its tonic triad is unstable.
Octaves
Musical context
How the mode relates to the scale, chord, key and progression.
Theory
General info
- Name
- B Locrian
- Family
- Diatonic modes
- Note count
- 7
- Step formula
- H – W – W – H – W – W – W
Notes & degrees
1Broot
b2Cminor 2nd
b3Dminor 3rd
4Eperfect 4th
b5Fdim 5th
b6Gminor 6th
b7Aminor 7th
Characteristic degrees
IIClowered 2nd degree
VFlowered 5th degree
Construction
- Overview
- A minor diatonic mode with a minor 2nd and diminished 5th above the tonic; its tonic triad is unstable.
- Application in music
- Pairs with m7b5 chords. Its diminished tonic triad makes the tonal centre difficult to establish.
- Interval formula
- BHCWDWEHFWGWA
- Reference mode
- B Aeolian
B Aeolian
IB
IIC#
IIID
IVE
VF#
VIG
VIIA
B Locrian
IB
IIC
IIID
IVE
VF
VIG
VIIA
How the mode is built
- Position in the system
- Degree 7 of the parent major scale
- Parent scale
- C majorLocrian mode — degree 7 of the scale
- Parallel major
- B majormajor from the same tonic
Sibling modes
Chords by degree
Tensions & resolutions
Stable degrees
IBnominal centretonic
IIIDdefines modal qualitythird
Typical resolutions & tensions
IIIDD
IVEE
In a dominant context, scale degree 4 normally descends by step to 3.
IBB
IICC
Scale degree 2 may descend to tonic; the motion is especially close when degree 2 is lowered.
This mode on guitar 🎸
See how B Locrian looks on guitar.
Circle of fifths
The major key on the same tonic and its neighbouring keys on the circle of fifths.
Connections
Practice
Keyboard Trainer
Reinforce it in practice — play and name notes on the interactive keyboard.