Explore scales · Guitar
E♭ locrian scale on guitar
E♭ locrian contains E♭, F♭, G♭, A♭, B♭♭, C♭, and D♭. Box 1 spans frets 0–2 with roots on string 5 fret 6 and string 2 fret 4.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭2, ♭3, 4, ♭5, ♭6, ♭7
How do you play the E♭ locrian scale on guitar?
E♭ locrian in box 1 runs from fret 0 to fret 2, 12 notes across 6 strings, from F♭ on the low E string at fret 0 up to G♭ on the high e string at fret 2. The root falls on the D string at fret 1.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 0, 2 | F♭, G♭ |
| 5 (A) | 0, 2 | B♭♭, C♭ |
| 4 (D) | 1, 2 | E♭, F♭ |
| 3 (G) | 1, 2 | A♭, B♭♭ |
| 2 (B) | 0, 2 | C♭, D♭ |
| 1 (e) | 0, 2 | F♭, G♭ |
Box 2 · frets 2–5
E♭ locrian in box 2 runs from fret 2 to fret 5, 15 notes across 6 strings, from G♭ on the low E string at fret 2 up to B♭♭ on the high e string at fret 5. The root falls on the B string at fret 4.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 2, 4, 5 | G♭, A♭, B♭♭ |
| 5 (A) | 2, 4 | C♭, D♭ |
| 4 (D) | 2, 4 | F♭, G♭ |
| 3 (G) | 2, 4 | B♭♭, C♭ |
| 2 (B) | 2, 4, 5 | D♭, E♭, F♭ |
| 1 (e) | 2, 4, 5 | G♭, A♭, B♭♭ |
Box 3 · frets 4–7
E♭ locrian in box 3 runs from fret 4 to fret 7, 17 notes across 6 strings, from A♭ on the low E string at fret 4 up to C♭ on the high e string at fret 7. The root falls on the A string at fret 6 and the B string at fret 4.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 4, 5, 7 | A♭, B♭♭, C♭ |
| 5 (A) | 4, 6, 7 | D♭, E♭, F♭ |
| 4 (D) | 4, 6, 7 | G♭, A♭, B♭♭ |
| 3 (G) | 4, 6 | C♭, D♭ |
| 2 (B) | 4, 5, 7 | E♭, F♭, G♭ |
| 1 (e) | 4, 5, 7 | A♭, B♭♭, C♭ |
Box 4 · frets 7–10
E♭ locrian in box 4 runs from fret 7 to fret 10, 13 notes across 6 strings, from C♭ on the low E string at fret 7 up to D♭ on the high e string at fret 9. The root falls on the G string at fret 8.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 7, 9 | C♭, D♭ |
| 5 (A) | 7, 9 | F♭, G♭ |
| 4 (D) | 7, 9 | B♭♭, C♭ |
| 3 (G) | 8, 9 | E♭, F♭ |
| 2 (B) | 7, 9, 10 | G♭, A♭, B♭♭ |
| 1 (e) | 7, 9 | C♭, D♭ |
Box 5 · frets 9–12
E♭ locrian in box 5 runs from fret 9 to fret 12, 16 notes across 6 strings, from D♭ on the low E string at fret 9 up to F♭ on the high e string at fret 12. The root falls on the low E string at fret 11 and the high e string at fret 11.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 9, 11, 12 | D♭, E♭, F♭ |
| 5 (A) | 9, 11, 12 | G♭, A♭, B♭♭ |
| 4 (D) | 9, 11 | C♭, D♭ |
| 3 (G) | 9, 11 | F♭, G♭ |
| 2 (B) | 9, 10, 12 | A♭, B♭♭, C♭ |
| 1 (e) | 9, 11, 12 | D♭, E♭, F♭ |
Box 6 · frets 11–14
E♭ locrian in box 6 runs from fret 11 to fret 14, 17 notes across 6 strings, from E♭ on the low E string at fret 11 up to G♭ on the high e string at fret 14. The root falls on the low E string at fret 11, the D string at fret 13 and the high e string at fret 11.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 11, 12, 14 | E♭, F♭, G♭ |
| 5 (A) | 11, 12, 14 | A♭, B♭♭, C♭ |
| 4 (D) | 11, 13, 14 | D♭, E♭, F♭ |
| 3 (G) | 11, 13, 14 | G♭, A♭, B♭♭ |
| 2 (B) | 12, 14 | C♭, D♭ |
| 1 (e) | 11, 12, 14 | E♭, F♭, G♭ |
Why it sounds like that
E♭ locrian is the seventh mode of F♭ major, built as 1, ♭2, ♭3, 4, ♭5, ♭6, ♭7. Its half-step pattern is H, W, W, H, W, W, W. Lower the fifth of E♭ phrygian to get the ♭5. The tonic chord is E♭ minor 7th flat 5th.
When to use it
E♭ locrian fits E♭ minor 7th flat 5th and E♭ diminished chords. Use it over half-diminished progressions in jazz, metal riffs, and dark ambient lines. Pair with E♭ minor 7th flat 5th or E♭ diminished.
Which position to practise
Practise Box 1 first. It places the root on string 5 fret 6 and covers frets 0–2, setting up Box 2.
Common questions
What notes are in E♭ locrian?
E♭ locrian contains E♭, F♭, G♭, A♭, B♭♭, C♭, and D♭. The intervals are 1, ♭2, ♭3, 4, ♭5, ♭6, ♭7. Its half-step pattern is H, W, W, H, W, W, W. It is also spelled D♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What chords does E♭ locrian fit?
E♭ locrian fits E♭ minor 7th flat 5th and E♭ diminished chords. The tonic chord is E♭ minor 7th flat 5th. Use it over half-diminished progressions.
How does E♭ locrian differ from E♭ phrygian?
E♭ locrian lowers the fifth of E♭ phrygian from B♭ to B♭♭. This creates the ♭5 interval that defines the locrian sound. The rest of the notes are identical.