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Fig. 1 · B Locrian · first 12 frets

ukulele scale

B Locrian

B1C♭2D♭3E4F♭5G♭6A♭7

The only mode of the major scale whose fifth is diminished, which is why its tonic chord cannot rest.

on guitaron piano

Written out

Fig. 2 · B Locrian, ascending

Every accidental is written in, rather than left to a key signature, so the letters can be read one at a time.

The step pattern

BHCWDWEHFWGWAWB

What is true of it

B Locrian is B, C, D, E, F, G and A, and back to B.

Its steps are H – W – W – H – W – W – W, where W is a whole step and H a half.

It uses no sharps and no flats at all: seven letters, seven white keys.

On the same tonic, B Phrygian differs from it by exactly one note.

Across the first twelve frets of the ukulele its notes fall in 32 places, which is what makes a scale a shape rather than a list.

Chords made only of these notes

CmajorCmaj7major seventhDmminorDm7minor seventhEmminorEm7minor seventhFmajorFmaj7major seventh

Found by testing every chord in the catalogue against these 7 sounds, not chosen.

Other scales on B

B DorianmodeB PhrygianmodeB LydianmodeB majormajorB natural minorminorB harmonic minorminor

C locC♯ locD♭ locD locD♯ locE♭ locE locF locall 374