Locrian scale · 7 notes
E Locrian scale on guitar
The E Locrian scale has 7 notes: E, F, G, A, B♭, C and D. The unstable mode: ♭2 and ♭5 make its root chord diminished.
Notes
- E
- F
- G
- A
- B♭
- C
- D
Formula
1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7
Steps
H – W – W – H – W – W – W
Sound
Unstable, tense and dissonant
E Locrian on the whole fretboard
Every E Locrian note from the open strings to the 15th fret in standard tuning (E A D G B E). The root, E, is shown in red so you can always find home.
A shape to learn first
You don’t need the whole neck at once. This hand position is anchored on a root note on the 6th (low E) string, which is how most guitarists find a scale in any key.
Root on the 6th (low E) string
E at fret 0. Open position: frets 0–4.
In the Guitar Scale Finder app you also get the chords of E Locrian as chord diagrams, and can search all 1,860 scales for the notes you play.
Intervals and formula
Measured from E, the E Locrian scale is built from these intervals. It contains 1 flat (B♭). Compared with E minor, it has F (♭2) instead of F♯ and B♭ (♭5) instead of B.
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | root | 0 |
| ♭2 | F | minor 2nd | 1 |
| ♭3 | G | minor 3rd | 3 |
| 4 | A | perfect 4th | 5 |
| ♭5 | B♭ | diminished 5th | 6 |
| ♭6 | C | minor 6th | 8 |
| ♭7 | D | minor 7th | 10 |
Chords in E Locrian
Stack every other note of the scale and you get one chord on each degree. These are the chords that “belong” to E Locrian: any of them will sound at home under a melody in E Locrian.
- i°E°E · G · B♭Em7♭5
- ♭IIFF · A · CFmaj7
- ♭iiiGmG · B♭ · DGm7
- ivAmA · C · EAm7
- ♭VB♭B♭ · D · FB♭maj7
- ♭VICC · E · GC7
- ♭viiDmD · F · ADm7
Progressions to try
- E° – F i°–♭II
- E° – B♭ – F i°–♭V–♭II
How to use E Locrian
Reach for it over m7♭5 (half-diminished) chords, the ii chord of a minor key, and heavy metal riffs that avoid resolution. Its sound is unstable, tense and dissonant.
Tip: You will use Locrian far more over a single m7♭5 chord (the ii in a minor ii–V–i) than as the key of a whole song.
- E Locrian contains exactly the notes of F major, played from its seventh note, E. See F major.
Where to find E on every string
Knowing where the root sits lets you start this scale anywhere. Here is every E between the open string and the 12th fret.
| String | Frets with E |
|---|---|
| High E (1st) | 0, 12 |
| B (2nd) | 5 |
| G (3rd) | 9 |
| D (4th) | 2 |
| A (5th) | 7 |
| Low E (6th) | 0, 12 |
Same notes, different name
These scales from the Scale Finder library contain exactly the same notes as E Locrian. They sound different because a different note is treated as home.
E Locrian scale FAQ
What notes are in the E Locrian scale?
The E Locrian scale has 7 notes: E, F, G, A, B♭, C and D. Its formula is 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7. It contains 1 flat (B♭).
What chords are in E Locrian?
Harmonising the E Locrian scale in thirds gives E° (i°), F (♭II), Gm (♭iii), Am (iv), B♭ (♭V), C (♭VI) and Dm (♭vii).
Where do you play the E Locrian scale on guitar?
The root, E, is at fret 0 on the low E string and fret 7 on the A string. A good first shape covers frets 0–4, starting from the root on the 6th string.
Which scales share the same notes as E Locrian?
E Locrian contains exactly the notes of F major, played from its seventh note, E.