Guitar scale · Locrian mode
A Locrian Scale
The most unstable mode. Contains a diminished 5th (♭5) for sinister metal riffs.
Tap any note to hear it.
A Locrian Scale tab: all 5 positions
Each tab climbs from the low E string to the high e string. Play it up, then back down.
e|-----------------------------5-6-8-| B|-------------------------6-8-------| G|-------------------5-7-8-----------| D|-------------5-7-8-----------------| A|-------5-6-8-----------------------| E|-5-6-8-----------------------------|
e|------------------------------------8-10-11-| B|----------------------------8-10-11---------| G|---------------------7-8-10-----------------| D|--------------7-8-10------------------------| A|---------8-10-------------------------------| E|-8-10-11------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------10-11-13-| B|----------------------------------10-11-13----------| G|----------------------------10-12-------------------| D|-------------------10-12-13-------------------------| A|----------10-12-13----------------------------------| E|-10-11-13-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------13-15-| B|----------------------------------13-15-16-------| G|-------------------------12-14-15----------------| D|----------------12-13-15-------------------------| A|-------12-13-15----------------------------------| E|-13-15-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------15-17-18-| B|----------------------------------15-16-18----------| G|-------------------------14-15-17-------------------| D|-------------------15-17----------------------------| A|----------15-17-18----------------------------------| E|-15-17-18-------------------------------------------|
How to play A Locrian on guitar
Find the root first: A is at fret 5 on the low E string and fret 0 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every A on the neck; the gold ones are the rest of the scale's home chord (♭3, ♭5, ♭7), the safest notes to land on at the end of a phrase.
Learn it one box at a time. Position 1, the E shape, sits at frets 5–9. Once it's under your fingers, move to position 2 (the D shape) and play the notes the two boxes share, then keep going up the neck. After all five, the scale joins up into one pattern across the whole fretboard.
A Locrian uses exactly the same notes as Bb major; only the home note changes, which is what gives it its sound. See the Bb Major Scale.
Degrees
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | A |
| ♭2 | Bb |
| ♭3 | C |
| 4 | D |
| ♭5 | Eb |
| ♭6 | F |
| ♭7 | G |
Chords in A Locrian
Stack every other note of the scale and you get these seven chords. They are the chords that sound "at home" in A Locrian; tap one to see its shapes.
| Degree | Chord | 7th chord | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| i° | Adim | Am7b5 | Tonic |
| ♭II | Bb | Bbmaj7 | Supertonic |
| ♭iii | Cm | Cm7 | Mediant |
| iv | Dm | Dm7 | Subdominant |
| ♭V | Eb | Ebmaj7 | Dominant |
| ♭VI | F | F7 | Submediant |
| ♭vii | Gm | Gm7 | Leading tone / subtonic |
Fretwise · Free on iPhone & Android
Practise A Locrian anywhere, even offline.
This page is a small slice of Fretwise. The app adds practice: exercises that play as tab, a new routine every day, and the tools to tune and keep time. On iPhone, iPad and Android, no sign-up.
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- 65 scales and 56 chord types in every key, with CAGED shapes
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- A new Daily 15 routine every day, plus free exercises
- Maqam & makam between the frets, and the Name the Note quiz
One purchase
- 282 exercises that play as tab, and routines with a speed trainer
- Chord & Scale Finder: tap the neck, get the name
- Theory Lab and the Progression Builder with 51 genre loops
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Questions
- What notes are in the A Locrian Scale?
- The A Locrian Scale has 7 notes: A, Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G.
- What chords are in the A Locrian Scale?
- The chords of A Locrian are Adim (i°), Bb (♭II), Cm (♭iii), Dm (iv), Eb (♭V), F (♭VI), Gm (♭vii).
- What is the formula of the locrian scale?
- 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7, which is the step pattern H W W H W W W (W = whole step, H = half step).
- Where do I play A Locrian on the guitar?
- The root A is at fret 5 on the low E string and fret 0 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 5–9, and four more positions connect it up the neck.