STRINGSCALES

A locrian major Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: F, G, A, B, C#, D, Eb at frets 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11

A string: A, B, C#, D, Eb, F, G, A at frets 0, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12

D string: D, Eb, F, G, A, B, C#, D at frets 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12

G string: G, A, B, C#, D, Eb, F, G at frets 0, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12

B string: B, C#, D, Eb, F, G, A, B at frets 0, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12

High E string: F, G, A, B, C#, D, Eb at frets 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11

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A locrian major

The major locrian scale, catalogued in older collections as the arabian scale, starts like a major scale (natural 2nd and 3rd, 4th) and collapses into locrian from the flat 5th upward. The bright opening makes the diminished top half hit harder. It also functions as the fifth mode of the neapolitan major scale, and suits dominant chords with both altered 5ths.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

A

I

Amaj♭5
B

ii°

Bdim
C♯

III

E♭7no5/C#
D

iv

Dm
E♭

bV+

E♭aug
F

bVI+

Faug
G

bVII

Gmaj

Same notes, different mode

A locrian major uses the same notes as the scales below. Start from a different note and you get a new mode built on the very same note set.

A major locrianB half-diminished b4C# altered dominant double b3D neapolitan majorEb leading whole toneF lydian augmented dominantG lydian dominant b6

locrian major in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • Start lines like plain A major (II, III, IV all natural), then let the collapse from b5 (Eb) onward land the tension; the contrast is the scale.
  • Catalogued in older books as the arabian scale: over a root drone, the bright-then-diminished shape reads instantly exotic.
  • Use it over a dominant chord with altered 5ths; the major 3rd (C#) and flat 7th (G) hold the center while b5 (Eb) and b6 (F) pull down.
  • The natural 4th (D) beside the flat 5th (Eb) is a free chromatic slide; use it as the pivot between the scale's two halves.

How to play A locrian major on guitar

Open A is a root and open D adds the perfect fourth above it, so a two-string drone is there before you fret anything. Four of the six open strings belong here. Lowest-pitched root is fret 5 on the low E, sitting well above the open A nearer the nut. Faug covers the bVI degree, meaning the augmented voicing sits a minor sixth up from the open fifth string.

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