A Locrian Mode on Guitar
The A Locrian Mode is a 7-note scale (unstable, tense) built from the formula 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7. Its notes are A B♭ C D E♭ F G. Below you'll find the scale on the whole fretboard, the chords that belong to it and related scales — open it in the interactive fretboard for 3NPS, CAGED and pentatonic box patterns with playback.
Notes and intervals
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | root |
| ♭2 | B♭ | Minor 2nd |
| ♭3 | C | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | D | Perfect 4th |
| ♭5 | E♭ | Diminished 5th (tritone) |
| ♭6 | F | Minor 6th |
| ♭7 | G | Minor 7th |
Steps: H – W – W – H – W – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step)
A Locrian Mode on the fretboard (15 frets)
Standard tuning E A D G B E. Pink = root, purple = characteristic notes. 3NPS, CAGED and box patterns plus other tunings are in the interactive fretboard.
Chords in the scale
Modes with the same notes
Other scales from A
- Ionian (Major)
- Dorian
- Phrygian
- Lydian
- Mixolydian
- Aeolian (Minor)
- Locrian
- Major pentatonic
- Minor pentatonic
- Blues
- Major blues
- Harmonic minor
- Locrian ♮6
- Ionian ♯5
- Dorian ♯4
- Phrygian dominant
- Lydian ♯2
- Superlocrian 𝄫7
- Melodic minor
- Dorian ♭2
- Lydian augmented
- Lydian dominant
- Mixolydian ♭6
- Locrian ♮2
- Altered (Superlocrian)
- Whole tone
- Diminished (half-whole)
- Diminished (whole-half)
Locrian in other keys
FAQ
- What notes are in the A Locrian Mode?
- The A Locrian Mode has 7 notes: A, B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G. Its formula is 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7.
- What intervals make up the A Locrian Mode?
- Step pattern: H – W – W – H – W – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step). Intervals from the root: ♭2 (Minor 2nd), ♭3 (Minor 3rd), 4 (Perfect 4th), ♭5 (Diminished 5th (tritone)), ♭6 (Minor 6th), ♭7 (Minor 7th).
- What chords are in the A Locrian Mode?
- Triads: A°, B♭, Cm, Dm, E♭, F, Gm. Seventh chords: Am7♭5, B♭maj7, Cm7, Dm7, E♭maj7, F7, Gm7.