Eb 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
- Eb Locrian
- Family
- Diatonic modes
- Note count
- 7
- Step formula
- H – W – W – H – W – W – W
Notes & degrees
1Ebroot
b2Fbminor 2nd
b3Gbminor 3rd
4Abperfect 4th
b5Adim 5th
b6Cbminor 6th
b7Dbminor 7th
Characteristic degrees
IIFblowered 2nd degree
VAlowered 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
- EbHFbWGbWAbHAWCbWDb
- Reference mode
- Eb Aeolian
Eb Aeolian
IEb
IIF
IIIGb
IVAb
VBb
VICb
VIIDb
Eb Locrian
IEb
IIFb
IIIGb
IVAb
VA
VICb
VIIDb
How the mode is built
- Position in the system
- Degree 7 of the parent major scale
- Parent scale
- Fb major
- Parallel major
- Eb majormajor from the same tonic
Sibling modes
Chords by degree
Tensions & resolutions
Stable degrees
IEbnominal centretonic
IIIGbdefines modal qualitythird
Typical resolutions & tensions
IIIGbGb
IVAbAb
In a dominant context, scale degree 4 normally descends by step to 3.
IEbEb
IIFbFb
Scale degree 2 may descend to tonic; the motion is especially close when degree 2 is lowered.
This mode on guitar 🎸
See how Eb 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.