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E A D G B E
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Chords in Bb Locrian

Bb Locrian is built from the notes Bb, Cb, Db, Eb, Fb, Gb and Ab. Its scale carries 7 flats. Harmonising that scale in thirds gives seven chords — 3 majors, 3 minors and 1 diminished — starting on Bbdim as the iø. The chord on the fifth degree is Fb, a major bV, so Bb Locrian has the leading tone that makes a Fb-to-Bbdim cadence sound final.

Beyond those seven, Bb Locrian commonly borrows Bb (I), Cm (ii), Dm (iii), Eb (IV) and F (V) from the parallel major — the mixture chords that give a progression somewhere unexpected to go.

The seven chords

iøBbdim
Bb diminished, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: muted, fret 1, fret 2, fret 3, fret 2, open. Frets are relative to the capo.
x12320bIICb
Cb major, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: muted, fret 2, fret 4, fret 4, fret 4, fret 2. Frets are relative to the capo. Barre at relative fret 2, strings 2 to 6.
x24442biiiDbm
Db minor, position 4, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: muted, fret 4, fret 6, fret 6, fret 5, open. Frets are relative to the capo.4fr
x46650ivEbm
Eb minor, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: muted, muted, fret 1, fret 3, fret 4, fret 2. Frets are relative to the capo.
xx1342bVFb
Fb major, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: open, fret 2, fret 2, fret 1, open, open. Frets are relative to the capo.
022100bVIGb
Gb major, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: fret 2, fret 4, fret 4, fret 3, fret 2, fret 2. Frets are relative to the capo. Barre at relative fret 2, strings 1 to 6.
244322bviiAbm
Ab minor, position 4, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: fret 4, fret 6, fret 6, fret 4, fret 4, fret 4. Frets are relative to the capo. Barre at relative fret 4, strings 1 to 6.4fr
466444

Extended to four notes each, the same seven degrees give Bbm7b5, Cbmaj7, Dbm7, Ebm7, Fbmaj7, Gb7, Abm7.

Borrowed chords

IBb
Bb major, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: muted, fret 1, open, fret 3, fret 3, fret 1. Frets are relative to the capo.
x10331iiCm
C minor, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: muted, fret 3, fret 1, open, fret 1, fret 3. Frets are relative to the capo.
x31013iiiDm
D minor, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: muted, muted, open, fret 2, fret 3, fret 1. Frets are relative to the capo.
xx0231IVEb
Eb major, position 4, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: muted, fret 6, fret 5, open, fret 4, fret 6. Frets are relative to the capo.4fr
x65046VF
F major, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: fret 1, fret 3, fret 3, fret 2, fret 1, fret 1. Frets are relative to the capo. Barre at relative fret 1, strings 1 to 6.
133211viGm
G minor, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: fret 3, fret 1, open, open, fret 3, fret 3. Frets are relative to the capo.
310033viiøAdim
A diminished, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: muted, open, fret 1, fret 2, fret 1, muted. Frets are relative to the capo. Barre at relative fret 1, strings 3 to 5.
x0121x
Capo

Capo 4 and play Gb Locrian shapes to sound Bb Locrian.

All eight capo positions for Bb Locrian →

Related keys

Open Bb Locrian in the explorer →