F Bebop Locrian Guitar Scale
Guitar scale in Open C tuning — fretboard diagram
F Bebop Locrian in Open C — Notes and Intervals
The F Bebop Locrian scale is a modern bebop variation designed for half-diminished chords. On Guitar, the notes are F, Gb, Ab, Bb, B, C, Db, Eb. It provides a chromatic bridge that helps musicians maintain rhythmic momentum while soloing over highly dissonant and difficult chord changes. Commonly used in Modern Jazz, Post-Bop, Fusion. Notable players include John Coltrane, Woody Shaw, Steve Coleman. Use over m7b5 chords. Maintains bebop rhythmic alignment in the most dissonant harmonic context.
Notes: F, Gb, Ab, Bb, B, C, Db, Eb
Intervals: 1P, 2m, 3m, 4P, 5d, 5P, 6m, 7m
Degrees: 1 b2 b3 4 5 6 b7 b8
Formula: H-W-W-H-H-H-W-W
Number of notes: 8
Tuning: Open C (C-G-C-G-C-E)
About Open C Tuning
Open C tuning (C-G-C-G-C-E) produces a C major chord when strummed open, with an enormous bass depth from the low C string (two whole steps below standard E). The tuning spans a vast tonal range that gives compositions an almost orchestral scope, making it a favorite for both delicate fingerstyle and crushing heavy music.
John Butler's 'Ocean' — one of the most famous modern fingerstyle compositions — is performed in Open C, showcasing the tuning's incredible dynamic range from thundering bass to shimmering harmonics. Devin Townsend uses Open C extensively across his catalog for its massive, wall-of-sound potential. Jimmy Page used it on Led Zeppelin's 'Friends' from Led Zeppelin III. Soundgarden also explored Open C. The three C strings and two G strings create powerful octave resonances that make even simple chord shapes sound huge.
Notable artists: John Butler, Devin Townsend, Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), Soundgarden, William Ackerman
Best for: Cinematic fingerstyle compositions, progressive metal walls of sound, post-rock textures, and any music that needs enormous tonal range from deep bass to bright treble
Musical Character
A chromatic bridge added to the Locrian mode for maintaining rhythmic momentum over half-diminished chords — the most challenging bebop scale.
Explore This Scale in Other Tunings
- F Bebop Locrian in Standard Tuning
- F Bebop Locrian in Drop D
- F Bebop Locrian in DADGAD
- F Bebop Locrian in Open G
- F Bebop Locrian in Baritone (B Standard)
- F Bebop Locrian in 7-string
- F Bebop Locrian in 8-string
- F Bebop Locrian in Drop C
- F Bebop Locrian in Drop B
- F Bebop Locrian in Open D
- F Bebop Locrian in Half Step Down
- F Bebop Locrian in Open E
- F Bebop Locrian in Open A
- F Bebop Locrian in Double Drop D