E Locrian Mode
E–F–G–A–Bb–C–D
E Locrian is the 7th mode of the F major scale: E–F–G–A–Bb–C–D. Its character: unstable, dissonant, and eerie — the darkest of all modes.
The flat 2nd and flat 5th create a diminished root chord, making the tonic feel inherently unresolved. Used sparingly for maximum tension and unease. On guitar, target the flat 5th (Bb) in your phrases — landing on it against the root is what makes a line sound Locrian instead of plain minor.
Because every mode of F major shares the same seven notes, any F major fretboard shape works for E Locrian — what changes is the note you resolve to. Loop a E° vamp or a backing track that stays on E, keep resolving your phrases to E, and the Locrian color comes through. You'll hear this sound in metal and jazz.
E Locrian is mode 7 of F Major — same seven notes, resolved to E instead.
E Locrian on the Fretboard
Standard tuning, frets 0–12. Every dot is a note in the mode — blue dots are the root (E).
Notes and Intervals
| Interval | R | ♭2 | ♭3 | 4 | ♭5 | ♭6 | ♭7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Note | E | F | G | A | Bb | C | D |
The highlighted Bb is the flat 5th — the note that gives Locrian its sound.
Locrian vs. Natural Minor
Everything else about the two scales is identical — these are the only degrees that change.
| E natural minor | E Locrian | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | ♭2 | F |
| 5 | ♭5 | Bb |
Chords in E Locrian
The seven chords of F Major, reordered to start from E — vamping between the first two or three keeps the Locrian sound from collapsing back into the parent key.
Songs That Use the Locrian Sound
Black Sabbath — “Black Sabbath”
The tritone (flat 5th) that opens the song captures Locrian's essence. Tony Iommi leans into the diminished quality for maximum dread.
Dream Theater — “The Glass Prison”
Uses Locrian passages in the heavy sections, leveraging the diminished root chord and flat 5th for intense, unsettled riffing.
John Coltrane — “Impressions (bridge)”
While primarily Dorian, Coltrane explores Locrian territory in his improvisations over half-diminished chords, pushing into its dissonant character.
E Locrian Mode FAQ
What is the E Locrian mode?
E Locrian is the 7th mode of the F major scale — the same seven notes starting from E: E–F–G–A–Bb–C–D. The interval formula is R–♭2–♭3–4–♭5–♭6–♭7.
What is the difference between E Locrian and E natural minor?
Two notes: where E natural minor has 2, E Locrian has ♭2 (F), and where E natural minor has 5, E Locrian has ♭5 (Bb). Those alterations are the entire difference in sound — everything else about the two scales is identical.
What chords work with E Locrian?
The seven chords of the parent F major scale, reordered to start from E: E° (i°), F (♭II), Gm (♭iii), Am (iv), Bb (♭V), C (♭VI), Dm (♭vii). A two-chord vamp between E° and F is the classic way to establish the Locrian sound without drifting back to the parent key.
What major scale has the same notes as E Locrian?
F major. E Locrian uses exactly the notes of F major starting from its 7th degree, so every F major shape on the fretboard doubles as a E Locrian shape. The same notes also spell F Ionian, G Dorian, A Phrygian, Bb Lydian, C Mixolydian, and D Aeolian.
How do I practice the E Locrian mode?
Modes live and die by harmonic context — run over a static E° vamp or a drone on E, not a full progression that pulls back to the parent key. Play the F major shapes you already know, resolve every phrase to E, and lean on the flat 5th (Bb). OpenFret's free Studio has a fretboard viewer and metronome for exactly this, and Guitar Quest turns scale practice into a game with real-time pitch detection.
Modes Sharing These Notes
All seven modes of F Major use the same seven notes — each one treats a different note as home.
Related Modes
Practice E Locrian with real feedback
Guitar Quest listens to your real guitar and turns scale practice into a game — run modes to battle monsters, with every note checked by pitch detection. Free in your browser, no signup needed.