STRINGSCALES

C locrian major Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, C, D, E at frets 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12

A string: Bb, C, D, E, F, Gb, Ab at frets 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11

D string: D, E, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, C, D at frets 0, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12

G string: Ab, Bb, C, D, E, F, Gb at frets 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11

B string: C, D, E, F, Gb, Ab, Bb at frets 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11

High E string: E, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, C, D, E at frets 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12

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C 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:

C

I

Cmaj♭5
D

ii°

Ddim
E

III

G♭7no5/E
F

iv

Fm
G♭

bV+

G♭aug
A♭

bVI+

A♭aug
B♭

bVII

B♭maj

Same notes, different mode

C 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.

C major locrianD half-diminished b4E altered dominant double b3F neapolitan majorGb leading whole toneAb lydian augmented dominantBb lydian dominant b6

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

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

How to play C locrian major on guitar

Open D and both E strings sit in the key without covering the tonic or the fifth, so they work as colour tones rather than a pedal under C. Roots climb from fret 8 on the low E to fret 3 on the A, then fret 1 on the B. BbM answers to the bVII, which puts a plain major triad two frets below the tonic. Barre the E-shape at 8, the A-shape at 3.

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