C 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
- C Locrian
- Family
- Diatonic modes
- Note count
- 7
- Step formula
- H – W – W – H – W – W – W
Notes & degrees
1Croot
b2Dbminor 2nd
b3Ebminor 3rd
4Fperfect 4th
b5Gbdim 5th
b6Abminor 6th
b7Bbminor 7th
Characteristic degrees
IIDblowered 2nd degree
VGblowered 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
- CHDbWEbWFHGbWAbWBb
- Reference mode
- C Aeolian
C Aeolian
IC
IID
IIIEb
IVF
VG
VIAb
VIIBb
C Locrian
IC
IIDb
IIIEb
IVF
VGb
VIAb
VIIBb
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
- C majormajor from the same tonic
Sibling modes
Chords by degree
Tensions & resolutions
Stable degrees
ICnominal centretonic
IIIEbdefines modal qualitythird
Typical resolutions & tensions
IIIEbEb
IVFF
In a dominant context, scale degree 4 normally descends by step to 3.
ICC
IIDbDb
Scale degree 2 may descend to tonic; the motion is especially close when degree 2 is lowered.
This mode on guitar 🎸
See how C 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.