Bb 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
- Bb Locrian
- Family
- Diatonic modes
- Note count
- 7
- Step formula
- H – W – W – H – W – W – W
Notes & degrees
1Bbroot
b2Cbminor 2nd
b3Dbminor 3rd
4Ebperfect 4th
b5Fbdim 5th
b6Gbminor 6th
b7Abminor 7th
Characteristic degrees
IICblowered 2nd degree
VFblowered 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
- BbHCbWDbWEbHFbWGbWAb
- Reference mode
- Bb Aeolian
Bb Aeolian
IBb
IIC
IIIDb
IVEb
VF
VIGb
VIIAb
Bb Locrian
IBb
IICb
IIIDb
IVEb
VFb
VIGb
VIIAb
How the mode is built
- Position in the system
- Degree 7 of the parent major scale
- Parent scale
- Cb major
- Parallel major
- Bb majormajor from the same tonic
Sibling modes
Chords by degree
Tensions & resolutions
Stable degrees
IBbnominal centretonic
IIIDbdefines modal qualitythird
Typical resolutions & tensions
IIIDbDb
IVEbEb
In a dominant context, scale degree 4 normally descends by step to 3.
IBbBb
IICbCb
Scale degree 2 may descend to tonic; the motion is especially close when degree 2 is lowered.
This mode on guitar 🎸
See how Bb 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.