Locrian scale · 7 notes
G Locrian scale on guitar
The G Locrian scale has 7 notes: G, A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭ and F. The unstable mode: ♭2 and ♭5 make its root chord diminished.
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 3. 2nd position: frets 2–6.
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 4 flats (A♭, B♭, D♭ and E♭). 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♭ · D♭Gm7♭5
- ♭IIA♭A♭ · C · E♭A♭maj7
- ♭iiiB♭mB♭ · D♭ · FB♭m7
- ivCmC · E♭ · GCm7
- ♭VD♭D♭ · F · A♭D♭maj7
- ♭VIE♭E♭ · G · B♭E♭7
- ♭viiFmF · A♭ · CFm7
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) | 3 |
| B (2nd) | 8 |
| G (3rd) | 0, 12 |
| D (4th) | 5 |
| A (5th) | 10 |
| Low E (6th) | 3 |
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 4 flats (A♭, B♭, D♭ and E♭).
What chords are in G Locrian?
Harmonising the G Locrian scale in thirds gives G° (i°), A♭ (♭II), B♭m (♭iii), Cm (iv), D♭ (♭V), E♭ (♭VI) and Fm (♭vii).
Where do you play the G Locrian scale on guitar?
The root, G, is at fret 3 on the low E string and fret 10 on the A string. A good first shape covers frets 2–6, 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.