Locrian · A · Piano
The A Locrian scale is A B♭ C D E♭ F G — formula 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7, step pattern H–W–W–H–W–W–W. Use it over Am7♭5: it is the scale for half-diminished (m7♭5) chords — the iiø7 in a minor ii–V–i. Below, every note is marked on the two-octave keyboard; press play to hear it on a synthesized piano while each note lights up, or tap any key to sound that note.
Visualizer
Piano
Guitar · standard tuning
Tap any note on the diagram to hear it. Play runs the scale up and down one octave in eighth notes. “Show” switches or combines the fretboard and keyboard; “Sound” picks the instrument you hear. Audio is synthesized in the browser.
Reference
| Degree | Note | Interval from A | Step to next |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | unison (0 semitones) | H |
| ♭2 | B♭ | minor 2nd (1 semitones) | W |
| ♭3 | C | minor 3rd (3 semitones) | W |
| 4 | D | perfect 4th (5 semitones) | H |
| ♭5 | E♭ | tritone (6 semitones) | W |
| ♭6 | F | minor 6th (8 semitones) | W |
| ♭7 | G | minor 7th (10 semitones) | W |
Chord it implies: Am7♭5 (A – C – E♭ – G). Use it for: half-diminished (m7♭5) chords — the iiø7 in a minor ii–V–i.
Common questions
A B♭ C D E♭ F G. As scale degrees: 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7. It has 7 notes.
A Locrian fits Am7♭5 and, more generally, half-diminished (m7♭5) chords — the iiø7 in a minor ii–V–i.
1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7 — the step pattern from the root is H W W H W W W (W = whole step, H = half step).
Play A B♭ C D E♭ F G A ascending from the root, then descend. The keyboard above shows every root in gold, chord tones outlined in amber and the remaining scale tones in teal; use the Play button to hear the fingering tempo.
Keep going
Same scale on guitar · all Locrian pages: Locrian hub · practise it in context: ii–V–I trainer · theory: chord-scale theory.
Other scales from A