G Locrian Major Guitar Scale

Guitar scale — fretboard diagramAdvanced

G locrian major scale — 6-string guitar fretboard diagramInteractive fretboard diagram showing the G locrian major scale on 6-string guitar with 22 frets. Notes: F, G, A, B, C, Db, Eb.FGABCDbEbFGABCDbBCDbEbFGABCDbEbFGAGABCDbEbFGABCDbEbFEbFGABCDbEbFGABCABCDbEbFGABCDbEbFGFGABCDbEbFGABCDb1357911121315171921

What chords fit over G Locrian Major?

Open G Locrian Major Harmonizer

G Locrian Major Scale — Notes and Intervals

The G Locrian Major scale is a 20th-century hybrid that combines the stability of a major third with the dissonance of a Locrian base. On Guitar, it contains the notes G, A, B, C, Db, Eb, F. It was used by experimental composers to create a sound that is both familiar and alien. Commonly used in Experimental, Contemporary Classical, Avant-Garde. Notable players include Bela Bartok, Gyorgy Ligeti. Use in experimental composition over polytonal or atonal passages. A tool for creating cognitive dissonance.

Notes: G, A, B, C, Db, Eb, F

Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3M, 4P, 5d, 6m, 7m

Degrees: 1 2 3 4 5 b6 b7

Formula: W-W-H-H-W-W-W

Number of notes: 7

Also known as: arabian

Musical Character

AlienFamiliar-StrangeExperimental

A major 3rd within a Locrian framework — the contradiction creates a sound that is both familiar (major) and alien (b2, b5) simultaneously. Contains five consecutive whole tones, linking it structurally to the leading whole-tone scale where it appears as the 4th mode.

Genres & Notable Artists

Genres: Experimental, Contemporary Classical, Avant-Garde

Notable players: Bela Bartok, Gyorgy Ligeti

How to Use the G Locrian Major Scale

Use in experimental composition over polytonal or atonal passages. A tool for creating cognitive dissonance.

Origin & Background

A 20th-century synthetic scale used by experimental composers to create sounds that defy tonal expectations.

How to Play G Locrian Major on Guitar

Place your index finger at fret 3 on the 6th (low E) to find your G root note. Use a three-notes-per-string fingering to cover the full scale in one position, or learn the CAGED shapes to navigate the entire fretboard. An alternative starting point is open position using open G string.

The G Locrian Major scale contains 2 flats (Db, Eb). Its relative major is B major, which shares the same key signature.

Practice Routine — Exercises for Playing

Begin by playing the G Locrian Major scale ascending and descending at 100 BPM using a metronome, one note per beat. Once comfortable, practice in thirds (G-B, A-C) to build intervallic familiarity. Spend 5 minutes daily on this pattern before increasing tempo by 10 BPM.

Experiment with simple two-chord vamps rooted on G to let the characteristic intervals of the Locrian Major scale come through clearly. This scale is especially effective in experimental contexts.

Guitar Tips

Use hybrid picking (pick + fingers) when playing the G Locrian Major scale on guitar to access wider intervals and string skips that a pick alone cannot handle efficiently. Aim for a alien quality in your phrasing to match the natural character of this scale.

Related Scales

The G Locrian Major scale contains 7 notes (G, A, B, C, Db, Eb, F). Use the interactive fretboard diagram above to explore each shape and pattern on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges. Practice ascending and descending from the root note to learn the sound of this scale.

CAGED Positions & Patterns for G Locrian Major

The G Locrian Major scale can be played in 5 CAGED positions across the fretboard, each based on an open chord shape (C, A, G, E, D). As a 7-note scale, it also lends itself to 3-notes-per-string (3NPS) patterns that facilitate legato playing and diagonal shifting. Use the pattern selector above to isolate each position.

Explore G Locrian Major Further

Explore G Locrian Major in Other Tunings

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