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F locrian mode

The F locrian mode is F G♭ A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭: seven notes, unstable and tense. Its formula is 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7.

Make a beat in F minor

Opens the free editor with a house beat in F minor to play F locrian over. No account needed to start.

The notes of F locrian

From F up to F: half, whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole. Tap a key to hear it.

F G♭ A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ F

FC♭FG♭A♭B♭D♭E♭
The notes of F locrian mode by scale degree
DegreeNoteFrom the root
1FRoot
♭2G♭Minor second
♭3A♭Minor third
4B♭Perfect fourth
♭5C♭Diminished fifth
♭6D♭Minor sixth
♭7E♭Minor seventh

How F locrian is built

The G♭ major scale played from its seventh note, F: the same notes with F as home. Against F minor, the minor scale on the same note, it has G♭ instead of G and C♭ instead of C.

The major scale played from its seventh note. Its fifth is lowered, so the chord on its root is diminished and never sounds at rest: the darkest of the modes, used for tension in metal and film. The locrian mode in every key.

Chords in F locrian

One chord on each note of the scale, built from its own notes. The numeral says which note it starts on, against the F major scale: capitals are major, small letters minor.

Play F locrian over a beat

A beat on the chords of F minor. Play the scale over it on the keyboard above, then open it in the editor and add your melody as its own part.

Hear it as

Questions about F locrian

What notes are in the F locrian mode?

F, G♭, A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭ and E♭. Its formula is 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7, counted from the major scale on F, and its steps from F up to F are: half, whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole.

What key is F locrian in?

F locrian uses the notes of G♭ major, starting on its seventh note, F. The notes are the same; making F home is what gives it its own sound.

How is F locrian different from F minor?

G♭ instead of G and C♭ instead of C: two notes of the F minor scale change, and those notes give F locrian its sound: unstable and tense.

Build a song in F locrian

Start with the beat, then add chords, a melody and your voice in the editor, part by part.