F# Locrian Major Guitar Scale
Guitar scale in Open G tuning — fretboard diagram
F# Locrian Major in Open G — Notes and Intervals
The F# 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 F#, G#, A#, B, C, D, E. 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: F#, G#, A#, B, C, D, E
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
Tuning: Open G (D-G-D-G-B-D)
Also known as: arabian
About Open G Tuning
Open G tuning (D-G-D-G-B-D) produces a G major chord when strummed open, making it the definitive tuning for slide guitar and delta blues. The tuning's natural consonance means that barring across any fret gives you a major chord, which is why it's been the backbone of blues and roots music for over a century.
From Robert Johnson to Keith Richards, Open G has shaped some of the most iconic music ever recorded. Keith Richards famously removes the low 6th string entirely in this tuning, creating his signature five-string sound on songs like 'Start Me Up' and 'Brown Sugar'. For slide players, Open G is essential — it allows clean, singing slide lines across all strings with minimal effort.
Notable artists: Keith Richards, Robert Johnson, Ry Cooder, Joni Mitchell, The Black Crowes
Best for: Slide guitar, delta blues, Keith Richards-style rock riffs, and open-string fingerpicking
Musical Character
A major 3rd within a Locrian framework — the contradiction creates a sound that is both familiar (major) and alien (b2, b5) simultaneously.