STRINGSCALES

E locrian major Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, F#, G#, A, Bb, C, D, E at frets 0, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12

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

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

G string: G#, A, Bb, C, D, E, F# at frets 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11

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

High E string: E, F#, G#, A, Bb, C, D, E at frets 0, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12

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E 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:

E

I

Emaj♭5
F♯

ii°

F♯dim
G♯

III

B♭7no5/G#
A

iv

Am
B♭

bV+

B♭aug
C

bVI+

Caug
D

bVII

Dmaj

Same notes, different mode

E 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.

E major locrianF# half-diminished b4G# altered dominant double b3A neapolitan majorBb leading whole toneC lydian augmented dominantD lydian dominant b6

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

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

How to play E locrian major on guitar

Both E strings are open roots, so this key sits over an unfretted bass without any left hand at all. Open A gives the fourth, open D the seventh. Fretted roots wait at fret 7 on the A, fret 5 on the B and fret 9 on the G. Box one starts from the nut and the next shape takes over at fret 4, meaning most of the low register here is open-string work.

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