G♯ Locrian mode (A♭ Locrian)
G♯ Locrian mode is G♯ – A – B – C♯ – D – E – F♯, with G♯, C♯ and F♯. Formula 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7. Play it, then slow the tempo until every note is clear.
G♯ Locrian mode, note by note
Counted in steps it goes H W W H W W W (W = whole step, H = half step). The half steps fall between G♯–A and C♯–D.
| Degree | Note | Interval from G♯ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G♯ | root | |
| ♭2 | A | minor second | |
| ♭3 | B | minor third | |
| 4 | C♯ | perfect fourth | |
| ♭5 | D | tritone | |
| ♭6 | E | minor sixth | |
| ♭7 | F♯ | minor seventh |
The sound of G♯ Locrian mode
Locrian has a lowered 2nd and a lowered 5th, so its home chord is diminished. It's the least stable mode and is used more as a color over half-diminished chords than as a key.
Try it over a G♯m7♭5 chord: the ♭2 (A) and ♭5 (D) are the notes that make the mode sound like itself.
Compared with G♯ natural minor scale, G♯ Locrian mode has A and D where the other has A♯ and D♯; the other five notes are shared. Hear G♯ natural minor scale and compare.
G♯ Locrian mode uses the same seven notes as A major, starting from G♯ instead of A. Same notes, different home note: what makes it Locrian is playing it over a G♯ bass or chord.
Playing G♯ Locrian
G♯, C♯ and F♯ are on black keys; the rest are white.
The guitar box starts with the root at the 4th fret of the low E string and spans frets 2–8: 18 notes, low string to high.
Chords built on each note
Stack every other note of the scale on each degree and you get 7 chords. These are the chords that fit G♯ Locrian mode; the ones that differ from the A major set are what give the mode its color. Tap to hear each one.
If you know G♯ Locrian mode, you already know the notes of C♯ Phrygian (starting on the 4th note, C♯), D Lydian (starting on the 5th note, D), E Mixolydian (starting on the 6th note, E), F♯ natural minor (starting on the 7th note, F♯), A major (starting on the 2nd note, A) and B Dorian (starting on the 3rd note, B).
Finding G♯ Locrian on the neck
The root, G♯, sits at fret 4 on the low E string and 11 on the A string. Five overlapping fingerings cover the neck, starting near frets 1, 4, 6, 9 and 11 on the low E string. Mostly used over a half-diminished chord rather than as a home key, because its tonic chord is unstable.
On the piano, G♯ Locrian mode uses 3 black keys (G♯, C♯ and F♯) and 4 white.
Thirds make the scale sound musical instead of step-by-step: G♯–B, A–C♯, B–D, C♯–E, D–F♯, E–G♯, F♯–A.
Three ways to practise G♯ Locrian
Once G♯ Locrian is comfortable up and down, break the order. Each pattern below uses only its 7 notes.
- Three-note runs: G♯ A B · A B C♯ · B C♯ D · C♯ D E · D E F♯ · E F♯ G♯.
- Target D: G♯ D G♯ D G♯: the ♭5 makes even the home chord unstable.
Close relatives of G♯ Locrian mode
Locrian mode in every key
G♯ Locrian mode: questions
What are the notes of the G♯ Locrian mode?
G♯, A, B, C♯, D, E and F♯, then G♯ again at the octave. Formula: 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7.
How many sharps or flats are in the G♯ Locrian mode?
Three: G♯, C♯ and F♯.
What chords are in the G♯ Locrian mode?
Stacking thirds on each note gives G♯dim (i°), A (II), Bm (iii), C♯m (iv), D (V), E (VI) and F♯m (vii).
What's the difference between G♯ Locrian mode and G♯ natural minor scale?
A and D in G♯ Locrian; A♯ and D♯ in the other. Everything else is the same.
Which major scale has the same notes as G♯ Locrian mode?
A major. G♯ Locrian is A major played from its 7th note, G♯.
Every note on this page is computed from 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7 and tested. Updated September 2026.