Scales of the World
The Locrian mode is a Minor Mode. It differs from the Natural Minor in that it has a flattenend second, fifth, and sixth. C Locrian has the same notes as the major scale in the key of C#.
The Locrian Mode is the strangest sounding of all the Diatonic Modes and this is perhaps why it is also the least used in modern music of the West: pop, rock, jazz etc.
Wow! All the notes in this mode are flattened except for the fourth, and the tonic of course.
Weird! This scale is most widely used in Eastern music.
It has a dark, mysterious, unresolved and slightly Asian feel that hard to wrap your mind around.
It produces a great “huh?!” kind of effect in the listener and is similar in that sense to the Whole Tone or Scriabin Scale. Use the wierdness of these scales to your advantage to change up the mood in improvisation before resolving to a previous scale, key or motif.
String players notice that you are in the same position as the Major scale. You made it all the way back!
Rock On!
