STRINGSCALES

B♭ locrian major Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: Fb, Gb, Ab, Bb, C, D, Eb, Fb at frets 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12

A string: Bb, C, D, Eb, Fb, Gb, Ab at frets 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11

D string: D, Eb, Fb, Gb, Ab, Bb, C, D at frets 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12

G string: Ab, Bb, C, D, Eb, Fb, Gb at frets 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11

B string: C, D, Eb, Fb, Gb, Ab, Bb at frets 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11

High E string: Fb, Gb, Ab, Bb, C, D, Eb, Fb at frets 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12

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Bb 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:

B♭

I

B♭majb5
C

ii°

Cdim
D

III

F♭7no5/D
E♭

iv

E♭m
F♭

bV+

F♭aug
G♭

bVI+

G♭aug
A♭

bVII

A♭maj

Same notes, different mode

Bb 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.

Bb major locrianC half-diminished b4D altered dominant double b3Eb neapolitan majorFb leading whole toneGb lydian augmented dominantAb lydian dominant b6

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

tip
  • Start lines like plain Bb major (II, III, IV all natural), then let the collapse from b5 (E) 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 (D) and flat 7th (Ab) hold the center while b5 (E) and b6 (Gb) pull down.
  • The natural 4th (Eb) beside the flat 5th (E) is a free chromatic slide; use it as the pivot between the scale's two halves.

How to play B♭ locrian major on guitar

Both E strings read as Fb in this key, a diminished fifth over the tonic, so they colour rather than anchor. Open D is the only other open string in the key, sitting as the major third. Roots start at fret 1 on the A string, which lets you take the A-shape barre almost at the nut. Lowest root is fret 6 on the low E.

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