Locrian scale · 7 notes
C♯ Locrian scale on guitar
The C♯ Locrian scale (C sharp Locrian scale) has 7 notes: C♯, D, E, F♯, G, A and B. The unstable mode: ♭2 and ♭5 make its root chord diminished. You may also see it written as D♭ Locrian, but C♯ is the usual spelling because it needs fewer accidentals.
Notes
- C♯
- D
- E
- F♯
- G
- A
- B
Formula
1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7
Steps
H – W – W – H – W – W – W
Sound
Unstable, tense and dissonant
C♯ Locrian on the whole fretboard
Every C♯ Locrian note from the open strings to the 15th fret in standard tuning (E A D G B E). The root, C♯, 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
C♯ at fret 9. 8th position: frets 8–12.
In the Guitar Scale Finder app you also get the chords of C♯ Locrian as chord diagrams, and can search all 1,860 scales for the notes you play.
Intervals and formula
Measured from C♯, the C♯ Locrian scale is built from these intervals. It contains 2 sharps (C♯ and F♯). Compared with C♯ minor, it has D (♭2) instead of D♯ and G (♭5) instead of G♯.
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C♯ | root | 0 |
| ♭2 | D | minor 2nd | 1 |
| ♭3 | E | minor 3rd | 3 |
| 4 | F♯ | perfect 4th | 5 |
| ♭5 | G | diminished 5th | 6 |
| ♭6 | A | minor 6th | 8 |
| ♭7 | B | minor 7th | 10 |
Chords in C♯ Locrian
Stack every other note of the scale and you get one chord on each degree. These are the chords that “belong” to C♯ Locrian: any of them will sound at home under a melody in C♯ Locrian.
- i°C♯°C♯ · E · GC♯m7♭5
- ♭IIDD · F♯ · ADmaj7
- ♭iiiEmE · G · BEm7
- ivF♯mF♯ · A · C♯F♯m7
- ♭VGG · B · DGmaj7
- ♭VIAA · C♯ · EA7
- ♭viiBmB · D · F♯Bm7
Progressions to try
- C♯° – D i°–♭II
- C♯° – G – D i°–♭V–♭II
How to use C♯ 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.
- C♯ Locrian contains exactly the notes of D major, played from its seventh note, C♯. See D major.
Where to find C♯ on every string
Knowing where the root sits lets you start this scale anywhere. Here is every C♯ between the open string and the 12th fret.
| String | Frets with C♯ |
|---|---|
| High E (1st) | 9 |
| B (2nd) | 2 |
| G (3rd) | 6 |
| D (4th) | 11 |
| A (5th) | 4 |
| Low E (6th) | 9 |
Same notes, different name
These scales from the Scale Finder library contain exactly the same notes as C♯ Locrian. They sound different because a different note is treated as home.
C♯ Locrian scale FAQ
What notes are in the C♯ Locrian scale?
The C♯ Locrian scale has 7 notes: C♯, D, E, F♯, G, A and B. Its formula is 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7. It contains 2 sharps (C♯ and F♯).
What chords are in C♯ Locrian?
Harmonising the C♯ Locrian scale in thirds gives C♯° (i°), D (♭II), Em (♭iii), F♯m (iv), G (♭V), A (♭VI) and Bm (♭vii).
Where do you play the C♯ Locrian scale on guitar?
The root, C♯, is at fret 9 on the low E string and fret 4 on the A string. A good first shape covers frets 8–12, starting from the root on the 6th string.
Which scales share the same notes as C♯ Locrian?
C♯ Locrian contains exactly the notes of D major, played from its seventh note, C♯.