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Bb Locrian Mode on guitar

The Bb Locrian Mode has 7 notes: Bb Cb Db Eb Fb Gb Ab. Its root Bb is also written A#.

NotesBb Cb Db Eb Fb Gb Ab
Formula1 b2 b3 4 b5 b6 b7
StepsH W W H W W W (W whole step, H half step)
123456789101112131415eBGDAEFbGbAbBbCbDbEbFbGbCbDbEbFbGbAbBbCbDbAbBbCbDbEbFbGbAbBbEbFbGbAbBbCbDbEbFbBbCbDbEbFbGbAbBbCbFbGbAbBbCbDbEbFbGb
Bb Locrian Mode on the first 15 frets in standard tuning, thin e string on top. Highlighted circles mark the root, Bb.

Play the Bb Locrian Mode on the fretboard in Guitar Upscale

About the Locrian Mode

Locrian is the darkest mode of the major scale, with a flat second and a flat fifth over a diminished root chord. More about the Locrian Mode.

Notes of the Bb Locrian Mode

DegreeIntervalNote
1RootBb
b2Minor 2ndCb
b3Minor 3rdDb
4Perfect 4thEb
b5TritoneFb
b6Minor 6thGb
b7Minor 7thAb

Chords in the Bb Locrian Mode

Stack every other note of the scale and you get one chord on each note. These chords sound at home with the scale, so they make good progressions.

DegreeTriadSeventh chord
i°BbdimBbm7b5
bIIBBmaj7
biiiC#mC#m7
ivEbmEbm7
bVEEmaj7
bVIF#F#7
bviiG#mG#m7

Same notes, another starting note

Start the Bb Locrian Mode on another of its notes and you get these scales:

Locrian Mode in other keys