Locrian scale · 7 notes
G♯ Locrian scale on guitar
The G♯ Locrian scale (G sharp Locrian scale) has 7 notes: G♯, A, B, C♯, D, E and F♯. The unstable mode: ♭2 and ♭5 make its root chord diminished. You may also see it written as A♭ Locrian, but G♯ is the usual spelling because it needs fewer accidentals.
Notes
- G♯
- A
- B
- C♯
- D
- E
- F♯
Formula
1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7
Steps
H – W – W – H – W – W – W
Sound
Unstable, tense and dissonant
G♯ Locrian on the whole fretboard
Every G♯ Locrian note from the open strings to the 15th fret in standard tuning (E A D G B E). The root, G♯, 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
G♯ at fret 4. 3rd position: frets 3–7.
In the Guitar Scale Finder app you also get the chords of G♯ Locrian as chord diagrams, and can search all 1,860 scales for the notes you play.
Intervals and formula
Measured from G♯, the G♯ Locrian scale is built from these intervals. It contains 3 sharps (G♯, C♯ and F♯). Compared with G♯ minor, it has A (♭2) instead of A♯ and D (♭5) instead of D♯.
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G♯ | root | 0 |
| ♭2 | A | minor 2nd | 1 |
| ♭3 | B | minor 3rd | 3 |
| 4 | C♯ | perfect 4th | 5 |
| ♭5 | D | diminished 5th | 6 |
| ♭6 | E | minor 6th | 8 |
| ♭7 | F♯ | minor 7th | 10 |
Chords in G♯ Locrian
Stack every other note of the scale and you get one chord on each degree. These are the chords that “belong” to G♯ Locrian: any of them will sound at home under a melody in G♯ Locrian.
- i°G♯°G♯ · B · DG♯m7♭5
- ♭IIAA · C♯ · EAmaj7
- ♭iiiBmB · D · F♯Bm7
- ivC♯mC♯ · E · G♯C♯m7
- ♭VDD · F♯ · ADmaj7
- ♭VIEE · G♯ · BE7
- ♭viiF♯mF♯ · A · C♯F♯m7
Progressions to try
- G♯° – A i°–♭II
- G♯° – D – A i°–♭V–♭II
How to use G♯ 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.
- G♯ Locrian contains exactly the notes of A major, played from its seventh note, G♯. See A major.
Where to find G♯ on every string
Knowing where the root sits lets you start this scale anywhere. Here is every G♯ between the open string and the 12th fret.
| String | Frets with G♯ |
|---|---|
| High E (1st) | 4 |
| B (2nd) | 9 |
| G (3rd) | 1 |
| D (4th) | 6 |
| A (5th) | 11 |
| Low E (6th) | 4 |
Same notes, different name
These scales from the Scale Finder library contain exactly the same notes as G♯ Locrian. They sound different because a different note is treated as home.
G♯ Locrian scale FAQ
What notes are in the G♯ Locrian scale?
The G♯ Locrian scale has 7 notes: G♯, A, B, C♯, D, E and F♯. Its formula is 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7. It contains 3 sharps (G♯, C♯ and F♯).
What chords are in G♯ Locrian?
Harmonising the G♯ Locrian scale in thirds gives G♯° (i°), A (♭II), Bm (♭iii), C♯m (iv), D (♭V), E (♭VI) and F♯m (♭vii).
Where do you play the G♯ Locrian scale on guitar?
The root, G♯, is at fret 4 on the low E string and fret 11 on the A string. A good first shape covers frets 3–7, starting from the root on the 6th string.
Which scales share the same notes as G♯ Locrian?
G♯ Locrian contains exactly the notes of A major, played from its seventh note, G♯.