Locrian scale · 7 notes
B Locrian scale on guitar
The B Locrian scale has 7 notes: B, C, D, E, F, G and A. The unstable mode: ♭2 and ♭5 make its root chord diminished.
Notes
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- A
Formula
1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7
Steps
H – W – W – H – W – W – W
Sound
Unstable, tense and dissonant
B Locrian on the whole fretboard
Every B Locrian note from the open strings to the 15th fret in standard tuning (E A D G B E). The root, B, is shown in red so you can always find home.
A shape to learn first
You don’t need the whole neck at once. This hand position is anchored on a root note on the 6th (low E) string, which is how most guitarists find a scale in any key.
Root on the 6th (low E) string
B at fret 7. 6th position: frets 6–10.
In the Guitar Scale Finder app you also get the chords of B Locrian as chord diagrams, and can search all 1,860 scales for the notes you play.
Intervals and formula
Measured from B, the B Locrian scale is built from these intervals. It has no sharps or flats: every note is a natural. Compared with B minor, it has C (♭2) instead of C♯ and F (♭5) instead of F♯.
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | B | root | 0 |
| ♭2 | C | minor 2nd | 1 |
| ♭3 | D | minor 3rd | 3 |
| 4 | E | perfect 4th | 5 |
| ♭5 | F | diminished 5th | 6 |
| ♭6 | G | minor 6th | 8 |
| ♭7 | A | minor 7th | 10 |
Chords in B Locrian
Stack every other note of the scale and you get one chord on each degree. These are the chords that “belong” to B Locrian: any of them will sound at home under a melody in B Locrian.
- i°B°B · D · FBm7♭5
- ♭IICC · E · GCmaj7
- ♭iiiDmD · F · ADm7
- ivEmE · G · BEm7
- ♭VFF · A · CFmaj7
- ♭VIGG · B · DG7
- ♭viiAmA · C · EAm7
Progressions to try
- B° – C i°–♭II
- B° – F – C i°–♭V–♭II
How to use B Locrian
Reach for it over m7♭5 (half-diminished) chords, the ii chord of a minor key, and heavy metal riffs that avoid resolution. Its sound is unstable, tense and dissonant.
Tip: You will use Locrian far more over a single m7♭5 chord (the ii in a minor ii–V–i) than as the key of a whole song.
- B Locrian contains exactly the notes of C major, played from its seventh note, B. See C major.
Where to find B on every string
Knowing where the root sits lets you start this scale anywhere. Here is every B between the open string and the 12th fret.
| String | Frets with B |
|---|---|
| High E (1st) | 7 |
| B (2nd) | 0, 12 |
| G (3rd) | 4 |
| D (4th) | 9 |
| A (5th) | 2 |
| Low E (6th) | 7 |
Same notes, different name
These scales from the Scale Finder library contain exactly the same notes as B Locrian. They sound different because a different note is treated as home.
B Locrian scale FAQ
What notes are in the B Locrian scale?
The B Locrian scale has 7 notes: B, C, D, E, F, G and A. Its formula is 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7. It has no sharps or flats: every note is a natural.
What chords are in B Locrian?
Harmonising the B Locrian scale in thirds gives B° (i°), C (♭II), Dm (♭iii), Em (iv), F (♭V), G (♭VI) and Am (♭vii).
Where do you play the B Locrian scale on guitar?
The root, B, is at fret 7 on the low E string and fret 2 on the A string. A good first shape covers frets 6–10, starting from the root on the 6th string.
Which scales share the same notes as B Locrian?
B Locrian contains exactly the notes of C major, played from its seventh note, B.