G Locrian Scale on Guitar — 2 Shapes to Play the Whole Neck
G Locrian is one of the seven modes of the major scale — on guitar its notes are G Ab Bb C Db Eb F, 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.
G Locrian Scale Notes
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | G | 1 |
| 2 | Ab | b2 |
| 3 | Bb | b3 |
| 4 | C | 4 |
| 5 | Db | b5 |
| 6 | Eb | b6 |
| 7 | F | b7 |
G Locrian Formula
Degree formula: 1 b2 b3 4 b5 b6 b7
Half – Whole – Whole – Half – Whole – Whole – Whole
G 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 1–6 (span 5 frets)
- Lowest note Ab, highest note G
- 2 G root notes, on the D string (fret 5), E string (fret 3)
How to practice this shape
- Start on the root — G at fret 5 on the D string. Play up to the highest note in the shape, then back down, staying inside frets 1–6.
- Your hand shifts 2 times as you cross strings: E→A (-1), D→G (-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 G Locrian Its Sound?
The characteristic sound of G Locrian comes from its minor 2nd and diminished 5th.
Diatonic chords
These are the 7 chords built from G 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.
G Locrian Scale Relationships
- Parent scale: Ab Major (Ionian)
G Locrian FAQ
G Locrian contains the notes G, Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F.
G Locrian is a mode of Ab Major (Ionian).
G Locrian has a flatted 3rd degree, giving it a minor character. It's derived from Ab Major (Ionian).
The diatonic chords in G Locrian are Gdim, Ab, Bbm, Cm, Db, Eb, Fm.