F Locrian Mandolin Scale
Mandolin scale — fretboard diagramAdvanced
F Locrian Scale — Notes and Intervals
The F Locrian scale is the seventh and most unstable mode of the major scale. On Mandolin, the notes are F, Gb, Ab, Bb, B, Db, Eb. It sounds highly dissonant and unresolved, as its home chord is a diminished triad. While rare as a primary key, it is a crucial technical tool for jazz musicians improvising over half-diminished chords in tension-heavy passages. The diatonic chords of F Locrian are Fm7b5, GbMaj7, Abm7, Bbm7, BMaj7, Db7, Ebm7. Commonly used in Jazz, Metal, Experimental, Avant-Garde. Notable players include John Coltrane, Meshuggah, Dream Theater. Use over m7b5 (half-diminished) chords. Essential for jazz ii-V-i in minor keys where the ii chord is half-diminished.
Notes: F, Gb, Ab, Bb, B, Db, Eb
Intervals: 1P, 2m, 3m, 4P, 5d, 6m, 7m
Degrees: 1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7
Formula: H-W-W-H-W-W-W
Number of notes: 7
Diatonic Chords
Fm7♭5 — G♭Maj7 — A♭m7 — B♭m7 — BMaj7 — D♭7 — E♭m7
Musical Character
The only mode with a diminished 5th (b5) from the root, making its home chord a diminished triad. This instability means Locrian is almost never used as a key center — it is a tool for tension.
Genres & Notable Artists
Genres: Jazz, Metal, Experimental, Avant-Garde
Notable players: John Coltrane, Meshuggah, Dream Theater
How to Use the F Locrian Scale
Use over m7b5 (half-diminished) chords. Essential for jazz ii-V-i in minor keys where the ii chord is half-diminished.
Origin & Background
Named after the Locrians of ancient Greece. Considered 'unusable' for centuries until jazz musicians found its purpose over half-diminished chords.
How to Play F Locrian on Mandolin
Begin by locating F on your instrument and play through the 7 notes of the Locrian scale slowly, ensuring each note rings clearly before increasing speed.
The F Locrian scale contains 5 flats (Gb, Ab, Bb, Db, Eb). Its relative major is Ab major, which shares the same key signature.
Practice Routine
Begin by playing the F Locrian scale ascending and descending at 100 BPM using a metronome, one note per beat. Once comfortable, practice in thirds (F-Ab, Gb-Bb) to build intervallic familiarity. Spend 5 minutes daily on this pattern before increasing tempo by 10 BPM.
Try these progressions with the F Locrian scale: Fm7b5 - Bbm7 - BMaj7 - Fm7b5 (I-IV-V-I) or Fm7b5 - GbMaj7 - Bbm7 - BMaj7 for a more stepwise movement. This scale is especially effective in experimental contexts.
Mandolin Tips
Practice the F Locrian scale slowly and evenly on your instrument, focusing on tone quality for each of the 7 notes before building speed. Aim for a unstable quality in your phrasing to match the natural character of this scale.
Related Scales
Locrian is the 7th mode of the Major scale. View F Major scale
The F Locrian scale contains 7 notes (F, Gb, Ab, Bb, B, Db, Eb). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Mandolin with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for F Locrian
The F Locrian 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.