E Locrian Bass Scale
Bass scale — fretboard diagram
E Locrian Scale — Notes and Intervals
The E Locrian scale is the seventh and most unstable mode of the major scale. On Bass, the notes are E, F, G, A, Bb, C, D. 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 E Locrian are Em7b5, FMaj7, Gm7, Am7, BbMaj7, C7, Dm7. 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: E, F, G, A, Bb, C, D
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
Em7♭5 — FMaj7 — Gm7 — Am7 — B♭Maj7 — C7 — Dm7
How to Play E Locrian on Bass
On bass, locate E on the E string at fret 0. Use a one-finger-per-fret approach starting from the root and span two to three strings. Keep your fretting hand relaxed and practice shifting between positions cleanly.
The E Locrian scale contains 1 flat (Bb). Its relative major is G major, which shares the same key signature.
Practice Routine
Begin by playing the E Locrian scale ascending and descending at 80 BPM using a metronome, one note per beat. Once comfortable, practice in thirds (E-G, F-A) to build intervallic familiarity. Spend 5 minutes daily on this pattern before increasing tempo by 10 BPM.
Try these progressions with the E Locrian scale: Em7b5 - Am7 - BbMaj7 - Em7b5 (I-IV-V-I) or Em7b5 - FMaj7 - Am7 - BbMaj7 for a more stepwise movement.
Bass Tips
Practice the E Locrian scale on bass using only your index and ring fingers for a two-finger-per-string approach, then switch to one-finger-per-fret. Both techniques are essential for different musical situations.
The E Locrian scale contains 7 notes (E, F, G, A, Bb, C, D). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Bass with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for E Locrian
The E 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.