Skip to content
MusicTheoryGym

Scale · 7 notes

E Locrian Scale

E Locrian is a 7-note scale with the notes E F G A B♭ C D. It sounds unstable and dissonant, built on a diminished fifth.

CDEFGAB♭

Purple = E (the tonic) · green = other scale notes

On the fretboard

Every E locrian note on the neck. Pick a pattern to see the compact fingering shape that fits under one hand.

EADGBe135791215EFGAB♭CDEFGAB♭CDEFGAB♭CDEFGAB♭CDEFGAB♭CDEFGAB♭CDEFGAB♭CDEFGAB♭CDEFG

Blue = E (the root) · green = other scale notes

Notes in the E Locrian scale

DegreeNoteName
1ETonic
♭2FSupertonic
♭3GMediant
4ASubdominant
♭5B♭Dominant
♭6CSubmediant
♭7DSubtonic

Each note uses a different letter name, so the spelling follows the scale rather than the keyboard: E F G A B♭ C D.

E Locrian scale formula

The pattern of steps from one note to the next is H – W – W – H – W – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step). Compared with the major scale the degrees are 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7.

Chords in the E Locrian scale

Stacking thirds on each note of the scale gives these chords:

DegreeTriad7th chord
i°E°Eø7
IIFFmaj7
iiiGmGm7
ivAmAm7
VB♭B♭maj7
VICC7
viiDmDm7

Chord names link to guitar chord shapes where we have them.

Related scales

  • Parent major scale: F Major, which has exactly the same notes as E Locrian.

How to practise the E Locrian scale

Learn each mode by its characteristic note: the one that makes it different from the major or minor scale it most resembles. Play a drone on the tonic while you play the scale to hear its colour.

Frequently asked questions

What are the notes in the E Locrian scale?

The notes of the E Locrian scale are E F G A B♭ C D.

What is the formula for the E Locrian scale?

The pattern of whole and half steps is H – W – W – H – W – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step). In scale degrees: 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7.

What chords are in the E Locrian scale?

Built from the scale in triads: E°, F, Gm, Am, B♭, C, Dm.

More E scales

E Major, E Natural Minor, E Harmonic Minor, E Melodic Minor, E Dorian, E Phrygian, E Lydian, E Mixolydian, E Major Pentatonic, E Minor Pentatonic, E Blues, E Lydian Dominant, E Altered, E Whole Tone, E Dorian ♭2, E Lydian Augmented, E Mixolydian ♭6, E Locrian ♯2, E Phrygian Dominant, E Hungarian Minor, E Double Harmonic, E Diminished (W–H), E Diminished (H–W), E Bebop Dominant, E Bebop Major

Explore the full scales library, find a scale from notes with the scale finder, or see every chord in every key in the chord chart.