A Super Locrian Pentatonic Guitar Scale

A Super Locrian Pentatonic Scale — Notes and Intervals

The A Super Locrian Pentatonic scale is an aggressive and highly dissonant subset of the altered scale. On Guitar, it contains the notes A, C, Db, Eb, G. It is a primary tool for advanced jazz guitarists and horn players to create outside tension over altered dominant chords before resolving back to the tonic. Commonly used in Jazz, Avant-Garde, Fusion. Notable players include John Coltrane, Michael Brecker. Use over 7alt, 7#9b13 chords. The pentatonic shortcut for maximum 'outside' tension over altered dominants.

Notes: A, C, Db, Eb, G

Intervals: 1P, 3m, 4d, 5d, 7m

Degrees: 1 b2 3 4 b5

Formula: WH-H-W-4-W

Number of notes: 5

How to Play A Super Locrian Pentatonic on Guitar

Place your index finger at fret 5 on the 6th (low E) to find your A root note. With only 5 notes, this scale fits comfortably in a two-notes-per-string pattern across all six strings. Focus on learning a single box shape first before connecting positions.

The A Super Locrian Pentatonic scale contains 2 flats (Db, Eb). This scale does not follow a traditional major or minor key signature, so reading from sheet music may require accidentals.

Practice Routine

Set a metronome to 80 BPM and play the A Super Locrian Pentatonic scale in groups of four notes, shifting the starting note each repetition. This builds muscle memory across the entire scale range. After a week, try improvising short 4-bar phrases using only these notes.

This scale works well over simple power chord progressions or a 12-bar blues in A. Try a A5 - Eb5 - G5 progression.

Guitar Tips

On guitar, practice the A Super Locrian Pentatonic scale on a single string from the open position to the 12th fret. This trains your ear to hear the intervals linearly and helps with slide guitar applications.

The A Super Locrian Pentatonic scale contains 5 notes (A, C, Db, Eb, G). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges.

CAGED Positions & Patterns for A Super Locrian Pentatonic

The A Super Locrian Pentatonic 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 5-note pentatonic scale, 2-notes-per-string patterns are the most ergonomic way to traverse the fretboard. Use the pattern selector above to isolate each position.

Explore A Super Locrian Pentatonic Further

• Harmonize the A Super Locrian Pentatonic scale — triads & 7th chords
• Browse chord progressions
• A Super Locrian Pentatonic on Ukulele
• A Super Locrian Pentatonic on Bass
• A Super Locrian Pentatonic on Piano

Explore A Super Locrian Pentatonic in Other Tunings

• A Super Locrian Pentatonic in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
• A Super Locrian Pentatonic in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
• A Super Locrian Pentatonic in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
• A Super Locrian Pentatonic in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
• A Super Locrian Pentatonic in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
• A Super Locrian Pentatonic in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
• A Super Locrian Pentatonic in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
• A Super Locrian Pentatonic in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
• A Super Locrian Pentatonic in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
• A Super Locrian Pentatonic in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
• A Super Locrian Pentatonic in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
• A Super Locrian Pentatonic in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
• A Super Locrian Pentatonic in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
• A Super Locrian Pentatonic in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)

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