E Locrian Pentatonic Guitar Scale

E Locrian Pentatonic Scale — Notes and Intervals

The E Locrian Pentatonic scale is an unstable and mysterious scale used to evoke tension and ambiguity. On Guitar, its notes are E, G, A, Bb, D. It is often found in experimental music and certain Indian Ragas, providing a dissonant, outside sound that is perfect for dark, avant-garde, or high-tension compositions. Commonly used in Jazz, Fusion, Experimental, Progressive. Notable players include John Scofield, Kurt Rosenwinkel. Use over m7b5 (half-diminished) chords. Essential for jazz solos over ii chords in minor ii-V-i progressions.

Notes: E, G, A, Bb, D

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

Degrees: 1 b2 3 4 b5

Formula: WH-W-H-4-W

Number of notes: 5

Also known as: minor seven flat five pentatonic

How to Play E Locrian Pentatonic on Guitar

Start the E Locrian Pentatonic scale in open position, taking advantage of the open E string. 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 E Locrian Pentatonic scale contains 1 flat (Bb). 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 E 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 E. Try a E5 - Bb5 - D5 progression.

Guitar Tips

On guitar, practice the E 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 E Locrian Pentatonic scale contains 5 notes (E, G, A, Bb, D). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges.

CAGED Positions & Patterns for E Locrian Pentatonic

The E 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 E Locrian Pentatonic Further

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

Explore E Locrian Pentatonic in Other Tunings

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

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