The Locrian Scales

The Locrian mode is one of the seven traditional musical modes, known for its unstable, tense, and dissonant character that makes it stand apart from the major and minor scales. Built by lowering both the second and fifth notes of the natural minor scale, it creates a sound that is dark, unsettled, and rarely used in conventional harmony—often described as minor with an eerie or haunting quality. This mode appears occasionally in jazz, experimental music, and certain heavy metal compositions, where its unique tension is used for dramatic effect.

In the Locrian mode, the arrangement of whole steps (tones) and half steps (semitones) between consecutive notes follows a specific pattern. Consecutive notes are a whole step apart, except for the 1st to 2nd degree, 3rd to 4th degree, 5th to 6th degree, and 7th to 8th degree, which are half steps. This structure gives the Locrian scale its distinctive unstable feel: it is close to the natural minor scale, but with a lowered 2nd and 5th that create a sense of tension and incompleteness.

Let’s take a look at the Locrian scales on each starting note.

Locrian Scales

B Locrian

The B Locrian Scale is made up of only white notes.

Here are the notes of B Locrian scale: B- C- D- E- F- G- A- B

Notes of B Locrian on the music stave or staff. this is an ascending Locrian scale. — Ascending Scale of B Locrian

Notes of B Locrian on the piano

Listen to the ascending scale of B Locrian:

C Locrian

The Locrian is made up of these notes:

Notes of C Locrian on the music stave or staff. this is an ascending Locrian scale. — Ascending Scale of C Locrian

Notes of C Locrian on the piano

Listen to the ascending scale of C Locrian:

C# Locrian or D♭ Locrian

Here are the notes of C# Locrian: C#, D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#

Notes of C# Locrian on the music stave or staff. this is an ascending Locrian scale. — Ascending Scale of C# Locrian

Notes of C# Locrian on the piano

Listen to the ascending scale of C# Locrian:

Note that C# and D♭ Locrian are enharmonic, and they sound the same.

D Locrian

Here are the notes of D Locrian: D, E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭, C, D

Notes of D Locrian on the music stave or staff. this is an ascending Locrian scale. — Ascending Scale of D Locrian

Notes of D Locrian on the piano

Listen to the D Locrian scale here:

D# Locrian

Here are the notes of D# Locrian: D#, E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#

Notes of D# Locrian on the music stave or staff. this is an ascending Locrian scale. — Ascending Scale of D# Locrian

Notes of D# Locrian on the piano

Listen to the ascending scale of Locrian:

Note that D# and E♭ Locrian are enharmonic, and they sound the same.

E Locrian

Here are the notes of E Locrian: E, F, G, A, B♭, C, D, E

Notes of E Locrian on the music stave or staff. this is an ascending Locrian scale. — Ascending Scale of E Locrian

Notes of E Locrian on the piano

Listen to the ascending scale of Locrian:

F Locrian

Here are the notes of F Locrian: F, G♭, A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭, E♭, F

Notes of F Locrian on the music stave or staff. this is an ascending Locrian scale. — Ascending Scale of F Locrian

Notes of F Locrian on the piano — Notes of F Locrian on the Piano

Listen to the ascending scale of F Locrian:

F# Locrian or G♭ Locrian

Here are the notes of F# Locrian: F#, G, A, B, C, D, E, F#

Notes of F# Locrian on the music stave or staff. this is an ascending Locrian scale. — Ascending Scale of F# Locrian

Notes of F# Locrian on the piano

Listen to F# Locrian here:

Note that F# and G♭ Locrian are enharmonic, and they sound the same.

G Locrian

Here are the notes of G Locrian: G, A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G

Notes of G Locrian on the music stave or staff. this is an ascending Locrian scale. — Ascending Scale of G Locrian

Notes of G Locrian on the piano

Listen to G Locrian here:

G# Locrian

Here are the notes of G# Locrian: G#, A, B, C, D, E, F#, G#

Ascending Scale of G# Locrian

Notes of G# Locrian on the piano

Listen to G# Locrian here:

Note that G# and A♭ Locrian are enharmonic, and they sound the same.

A Locrian

Here are the notes for A Locrian: A, B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G, A

Notes of A Locrian on the music stave or staff. this is an ascending Locrian scale. — Ascending Scale of A Locrian

Notes of A Locrian on the piano

Listen to A Locrian here:

A# Locrian

Notes of G# Locrian on the music stave or staff. this is an ascending Locrian scale. — Ascending Scale of G# Locrian

Notes of G# Locrian on the piano — Notes of Locrian on the piano

Listen to A# Locrian Scale here:

Note that A# and B♭ Locrian are enharmonic, and they sound the same.

Listen to the Locrian Scale

Listening to scales help us understand and identify the feel of the Locrian mode better.

You can find the playlist of the scales here:

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