E Locrian Scale on Guitar — 2 Shapes to Play the Whole Neck
E Locrian is one of the seven modes of the major scale — on guitar its notes are E F G A Bb C D, built from the formula 1 b2 b3 4 b5 b6 b7. Computed live for this exact root and scale, Fretprism finds 2 repeating shapes — the small pattern set you actually need to play it across the whole neck.
E Locrian Scale Notes
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | 1 |
| 2 | F | b2 |
| 3 | G | b3 |
| 4 | A | 4 |
| 5 | Bb | b5 |
| 6 | C | b6 |
| 7 | D | b7 |
E Locrian Formula
Degree formula: 1 b2 b3 4 b5 b6 b7
Half – Whole – Whole – Half – Whole – Whole – Whole
E Locrian on the Guitar Fretboard
The notes of Locrian repeat across the guitar fretboard in connected positions. Use the shape below to identify root notes, scale degrees, and neighboring shapes.
- Frets 1–8 (span 7 frets)
- Lowest note A, highest note G
- 2 E root notes, on the A string (fret 7), B string (fret 5)
How to practice this shape
- Start on the root — E at fret 7 on the A string. Play up to the highest note in the shape, then back down, staying inside frets 1–8.
- Your hand shifts 4 times as you cross strings: A→D (-2), D→G (-1), G→B (+1), B→E (-2). Those crossings — not the notes — are what this position is really asking you to learn.
- Once it feels automatic, move on to the next of the 2 shapes — together they cover the whole neck, and the same pattern repeats from there.
What Gives E Locrian Its Sound?
The characteristic sound of E Locrian comes from its minor 2nd and diminished 5th.
Diatonic chords
These are the 7 chords built from E Locrian's own notes — the ones that will sound like they belong when you're writing a progression, backing a melody, or jamming in this key. The Roman numeral shows each chord's role in the key: capital for major, lowercase for minor, ° for diminished, + for augmented. Not every scale produces a clean chord on every degree — where that happens, we show it honestly instead of forcing a name that doesn't fit.
E Locrian Scale Relationships
- Parent scale: F Major (Ionian)
E Locrian FAQ
E Locrian contains the notes E, F, G, A, Bb, C, D.
E Locrian is a mode of F Major (Ionian).
E Locrian has a flatted 3rd degree, giving it a minor character. It's derived from F Major (Ionian).
The diatonic chords in E Locrian are Edim, F, Gm, Am, Bb, C, Dm.