C Locrian Mode: Piano Notes & Scale Pattern

The C Locrian mode is the seventh mode of the D♭ Major scale. It has a diminished quality with flatted second and fifth degrees, the most dissonant of the seven modes.

C Locrian Mode Notes

Steps:: 1-2-2-1-2-2-2
Pattern:: H-W-W-H-W-W-W
Notes:: Seven-note scale

Degree	Name	Note	Interval
1	Tonic	C	P1
♭2	Supertonic	D♭	m2
♭3	Mediant	E♭	m3
4	Subdominant	F	P4
♭5	Dominant	G♭	d5
♭6	Submediant	A♭	m6
♭7	Subtonic	B♭	m7

How to Play the C Locrian Mode

Practice the C Locrian Mode hands separately at a slow, steady tempo before putting them together. Aim for even rhythm and a relaxed wrist. The goal is a smooth, connected line where every note sounds the same length and volume. Once both hands feel comfortable on their own, layer them at the same slow tempo and only speed up when the joined version is clean.

Right Hand (RH)

Place your right hand over the keys with the thumb on the root. Use the fingering: 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5 (1 = thumb, 2 = index, 3 = middle, 4 = ring, 5 = pinky).

Watch for the thumb tuck: the thumb (1) passes under your fingers at note 4. Keep your wrist level and quiet. Only the thumb moves under, the hand stays in place above the keys.

Two octaves (RH): 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5

Left Hand (LH)

For the left hand, start with your pinky on the root. Use the fingering: 5-4-3-2-1-3-2-1

Watch for the crossover: a long finger (3 or 4) crosses over the thumb at note 6. Lift the long finger over cleanly without disturbing the thumb. Descending the scale, the thumb will pass under at the same spots in reverse.

Two octaves (LH): 5-4-3-2-1-3-2-1-4-3-2-1-3-2-1

Common Tones

Common tones are the notes that two scales or modes share. Knowing which notes the C mode shares with its parallel modes (same root, different scale) helps with improvisation, modal interchange, and smooth voice leading. The more notes two modes share, the more closely related they sound, and the easier it is to slide between them in a solo or progression.

Parallel Mode	Common Notes	Shared / 7
C Phrygian	C – D♭ – E♭ – F – A♭ – B♭	6 / 7
C Aeolian	C – E♭ – F – A♭ – B♭	5 / 7
C Dorian	C – E♭ – F – B♭	4 / 7
C Mixolydian	C – F – B♭	3 / 7
C Ionian	C – F	2 / 7
C Lydian	C – G♭	2 / 7

Key Signature

The C Locrian Mode draws its notes from D♭ Major, so it is written with that key signature: 5 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭).

B♭E♭A♭D♭G♭

Order of flats

Flats are added in a fixed order — the reverse of the sharp order. Each new flat key adds the next flat on the list.

B♭E♭A♭D♭G♭C♭F♭

Mnemonic: Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’ Father

Diatonic Chords in the C Locrian Mode

These are the triads built on each degree of the C Locrian Mode:

i° — C Diminished (diminished)

Degree	Numeral	Chord	Quality
1	i°	C Diminished	Diminished
2	II	D♭ Major	Major
3	iii	E♭ Minor	Minor
4	iv	F Minor	Minor
5	V	G♭ Major	Major
6	VI	A♭ Major	Major
7	vii	B♭ Minor	Minor

C Locrian Mode Properties

Stability: One note in C Locrian Mode has no perfect fifth above it within the scale, giving the scale a small asymmetry that defines its leading quality.
Semitone steps: C Locrian Mode has 2 adjacent semitone steps, creating the close chromatic movement that shapes its character.
Brightness: Brightness score: 33. A mid-range brightness, balanced between bright and dark.
Symmetry: C Locrian Mode has no transposition symmetry: shifting every note by the same number of semitones produces a different set of notes.
Interval profile: [2, 5, 4, 3, 6, 1](semitone pairs, step pairs, thirds, fourths, fifths, tritone pairs)
Complement: 5 notes outside this scale

Related modes and scales sharing the same 7 notes:

C Locrian Mode : Frequently Asked Questions

What notes are in the C Locrian mode?

C Locrian contains: C, Db, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb. Seventh mode of Db Major. Both the 2nd and 5th are flatted, the flatted 5th (Gb) gives Locrian its uniquely unstable, diminished character.

How does C Locrian differ from C Natural Minor?

Two notes differ: C Locrian has Db (minor 2nd) and Gb (diminished 5th). The flatted 5th is critical, it means the tonic chord is diminished, making Locrian the only mode with no stable tonic.

What is the parent major scale of C Locrian?

C Locrian is the seventh mode of Db Major. Same seven notes with C as tonal centre.

How is C Locrian used in music?

Locrian is the rarest mode because its tonic chord is diminished (unstable). It appears in metal, progressive jazz, and experimental music. Most commonly used as a passing mode over half-diminished chords.

What chords are built from C Locrian?

Cdim, Db, Ebm, Fm, Gb, Ab, Bbm. The diminished tonic (Cdim) is what makes Locrian unique and challenging.

What songs use the Locrian mode?

Army of Me (Bjork) uses Locrian elements. Progressive metal bands (Meshuggah, Dream Theater) use Locrian for its dark, unstable quality. It is more a compositional tool than a key centre.

References and further reading

The visible claims on this mode page are grounded in these verified sources.

1. George Grove (ed.) (1900)
A Dictionary of Music and Musicians
Public domain treatise
2. Arthur Foote and Walter R. Spalding (1905)
Modern Harmony in its Theory and Practice, Sections 170-173, chords of the eleventh and thirteenth, pp. 179-181; suspension p. 200; figured bass pp. 49, 84, 186
Public domain treatise
3. J. S. Bach (1722)
Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I: Prelude in C major, BWV 846
Public domain score
4. piano.org
piano.org scale note dataset: 25 scale types × 18 keys, derived from interval construction rules
Primary data