Guitar scale · Locrian mode
E Locrian Scale
The most unstable mode. Contains a diminished 5th (♭5) for sinister metal riffs.
Tap any note to hear it.
E 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|-----------------------------0-1-3-| B|-------------------------1-3-------| G|-------------------0-2-3-----------| D|-------------0-2-3-----------------| A|-------0-1-3-----------------------| E|-0-1-3-----------------------------|
e|-----------------------------3-5-6-| B|-----------------------3-5-6-------| G|-----------------2-3-5-------------| D|-----------2-3-5-------------------| A|-------3-5-------------------------| E|-3-5-6-----------------------------|
e|-----------------------------5-6-8-| B|-----------------------5-6-8-------| G|-------------------5-7-------------| D|-------------5-7-8-----------------| A|-------5-7-8-----------------------| E|-5-6-8-----------------------------|
e|-----------------------------------8-10-| B|---------------------------8-10-11------| G|--------------------7-9-10--------------| D|-------------7-8-10---------------------| A|------7-8-10----------------------------| E|-8-10-----------------------------------|
e|------------------------------------------10-12-13-| B|---------------------------------10-11-13----------| G|-------------------------9-10-12-------------------| D|-------------------10-12---------------------------| A|----------10-12-13---------------------------------| E|-10-12-13------------------------------------------|
How to play E Locrian on guitar
Find the root first: E is at fret 0 on the low E string and fret 7 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every E 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 0–4. 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.
E Locrian uses exactly the same notes as F major; only the home note changes, which is what gives it its sound. See the F Major Scale.
Degrees
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | E |
| ♭2 | F |
| ♭3 | G |
| 4 | A |
| ♭5 | Bb |
| ♭6 | C |
| ♭7 | D |
Chords in E Locrian
Stack every other note of the scale and you get these seven chords. They are the chords that sound "at home" in E Locrian; tap one to see its shapes.
| Degree | Chord | 7th chord | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| i° | Edim | Em7b5 | Tonic |
| ♭II | F | Fmaj7 | Supertonic |
| ♭iii | Gm | Gm7 | Mediant |
| iv | Am | Am7 | Subdominant |
| ♭V | Bb | Bbmaj7 | Dominant |
| ♭VI | C | C7 | Submediant |
| ♭vii | Dm | Dm7 | Leading tone / subtonic |
Fretwise · Free on iPhone & Android
Practise E 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 E Locrian Scale?
- The E Locrian Scale has 7 notes: E, F, G, A, Bb, C, D.
- What chords are in the E Locrian Scale?
- The chords of E Locrian are Edim (i°), F (♭II), Gm (♭iii), Am (iv), Bb (♭V), C (♭VI), Dm (♭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 E Locrian on the guitar?
- The root E is at fret 0 on the low E string and fret 7 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 0–4, and four more positions connect it up the neck.