Notes in the B♭ Locrian scale
| Degree | Note | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | B♭ | Tonic |
| ♭2 | C♭ | Supertonic |
| ♭3 | D♭ | Mediant |
| 4 | E♭ | Subdominant |
| ♭5 | F♭ | Dominant |
| ♭6 | G♭ | Submediant |
| ♭7 | A♭ | Subtonic |
Each note uses a different letter name, so the spelling follows the scale rather than the keyboard: B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭.
B♭ Locrian scale formula
The pattern of steps from one note to the next is H – W – W – H – W – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step). Compared with the major scale the degrees are 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7.
Chords in the B♭ Locrian scale
Stacking thirds on each note of the scale gives these chords:
| Degree | Triad | 7th chord |
|---|---|---|
| i° | B♭° | B♭ø7 |
| II | C♭ | C♭maj7 |
| iii | D♭m | D♭m7 |
| iv | E♭m | E♭m7 |
| V | F♭ | F♭maj7 |
| VI | G♭ | G♭7 |
| vii | A♭m | A♭m7 |
Chord names link to guitar chord shapes where we have them.
Related scales
- Parent major scale: C♭ Major, which has exactly the same notes as B♭ Locrian.
How to practise the B♭ Locrian scale
Learn each mode by its characteristic note: the one that makes it different from the major or minor scale it most resembles. Play a drone on the tonic while you play the scale to hear its colour.
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes in the B♭ Locrian scale?
The notes of the B♭ Locrian scale are B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭.
What is the formula for the B♭ Locrian scale?
The pattern of whole and half steps is H – W – W – H – W – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step). In scale degrees: 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7.
What chords are in the B♭ Locrian scale?
Built from the scale in triads: B♭°, C♭, D♭m, E♭m, F♭, G♭, A♭m.
More B♭ scales
B♭ Major, B♭ Natural Minor, B♭ Harmonic Minor, B♭ Melodic Minor, B♭ Dorian, B♭ Phrygian, B♭ Lydian, B♭ Mixolydian, B♭ Major Pentatonic, B♭ Minor Pentatonic, B♭ Blues, B♭ Lydian Dominant, B♭ Whole Tone, B♭ Dorian ♭2, B♭ Lydian Augmented, B♭ Mixolydian ♭6, B♭ Locrian ♯2, B♭ Phrygian Dominant, B♭ Hungarian Minor, B♭ Double Harmonic, B♭ Diminished (W–H), B♭ Diminished (H–W), B♭ Bebop Dominant, B♭ Bebop Major
Explore the full scales library, find a scale from notes with the scale finder, or see every chord in every key in the chord chart.