Locrian
The Locrian mode has an exotic sound, and is rarely used in contemporary music. When it is used it often serves as a ‘passing mode’—one that creates harmonic tension but gives way to another mode that brings harmonic resolution.
The Locrian mode is mostly used over a Minor 7th chord with a flatted fifth. The Minor 7th b5 is mostly used in jazz, though it is occasionally found in rock. If your practice time is limited, you should focus on other modes, including the Dorian,Aeolian, and Ionian.
To make the Locrian mode in any key, flat the second, third, fifth, sixth, and seventh degrees of the scale.
Here are the notes and intervals of C Locrian.
C Locrian
| Notes | C | D ♭ | E ♭ | F | G ♭ | A ♭ | B ♭ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intervals | 1 | ♭ 2 | ♭ 3 | 4 | ♭ 5 | ♭ 6 | ♭ 7 |
| Intervals | Half step |
Whole step |
Whole step |
Half step |
Whole step |
Whole step |
♭=flatted
Listen to Locrian w/gtr, which has Rob showing how to play the mode. Then you can practice C Locrian with the IntroTrack, Locrian w/out gtr.
Saturn w/gtr features Rob tearing up the fret board and showing the mu-sical potential of this mode. Now it’s your turn: play along with Saturn.
