E Locrian

Unstable, tense, dissonant — built from F major

PARENT FAMILY · F MAJ

All 7 modes share the same parent scale (F major). E Locrian is the VII mode.

#	Mode	Diatonic chords	Mood
I	F Ionian	Fmaj7 – Gm7 – Am7 – B♭maj7 – C7 – Dm7 – Em7♭5	Happy, bright, resolved
II	G Dorian	Gm7 – Am7 – A♯maj7 – C7 – Dm7 – Em7♭5 – Fmaj7	Soulful, minor but with hope
III	A Phrygian	Am7 – A♯maj7 – C7 – Dm7 – Em7♭5 – Fmaj7 – Gm7	Dark, tense, Spanish/flamenco
IV	A♯ Lydian	A♯maj7 – C7 – Dm7 – Em7♭5 – Fmaj7 – Gm7 – Am7	Dreamy, floating, ethereal
V	C Mixolydian	C7 – Dm7 – Em7♭5 – Fmaj7 – Gm7 – Am7 – A♯maj7	Bluesy, dominant, rock
VI	D Aeolian	Dm7 – Em7♭5 – Fmaj7 – Gm7 – Am7 – A♯maj7 – C7	Melancholic, natural minor
VII	E Locrian	Em7♭5 – Fmaj7 – Gm7 – Am7 – A♯maj7 – C7 – Dm7	Unstable, tense, dissonant

SCALE · 7 NOTES · 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7

E F G A A♯ C D

Formula: 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7

The Locrian scale on E contains the notes E, F, G, A, A♯, C, D. The pentatonic subset is E, G, A, A♯, D.

Characteristic note: the ♭5 (diminished fifth) makes it unstable and rarely used as a tonal center.

DIATONIC 7ths · CHORD PAD

I

Em7♭5

II

Fmaj7

III

Gm7

IV

Am7

V

A♯maj7

VI

C7

VII

Dm7

▸ Play E Locrian over Em7♭5 and C7 progressions.

FRETBOARD · STANDARD TUNING · 15F● LIVE

CHARACTER · UNSTABLE, TENSE, DISSONANT

UNSTABLE, TENSE, DISSONANT

E Locrian is a minor mode with a unstable, tense, dissonant character. It is the VII mode of F major — it uses the same 7 notes as F Ionian but is rooted on E, which shifts the harmonic focus and creates a completely different sound. The tonic chord is Em7♭5.

Where to use E Locrian

Metal, jazz, used sparingly.

Famous examples

Half-diminished chord contexts
Metallica solos

What makes it distinctive: the ♭5 (diminished fifth) makes it unstable and rarely used as a tonal center.

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