Locrian

* The above diagram is the Half Diminished Pentatonic scale with the b2nd and b6th degrees added to create the Locrian scale.  The b2nd degree is in blue, and flatted 6th degree is in orange.

Important characteristics:

• Locrian is the 7th mode of the Major Scale
• It is used over diminished triads and the half diminished vii(7) chord when soloing.
• It can also be thought of as a major scale with flatted 2nd,  3rd, 5th,  6th,  and 7th degrees

For Example:

C      Eb    F  G        Bb  C – Half Diminished Pentatonic Scale.

1       b3    4   5        b7   1

C Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb C – Locrian

1  b2  b3 4  b5 b6 b7   1

C  D  E    F G   A    B   C – Major Scale.

1   2   3    4  5   6     7   1

*It is important that you first master the Half Diminished Pentatonic Scale well before learning Locrian. This is because the Half Diminished Pentatonic Scale is the basic skeleton of the Locrian Scale with the missing 2nd and 6th degrees added.

Now Visit: Locrian Scale Practice