F# Locrian Pentatonic Guitar Scale
Guitar scale — fretboard diagram
F# Locrian Pentatonic Scale — Notes and Intervals
The F# Locrian Pentatonic scale is an unstable and mysterious scale used to evoke tension and ambiguity. On Guitar, its notes are F#, A, B, C, E. 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: F#, A, B, C, E
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 F# Locrian Pentatonic on Guitar
Place your index finger at fret 2 on the 6th (low E) to find your F# 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 F# Locrian Pentatonic scale contains 1 sharp (F#). 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 F# 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 F#. Try a F#5 - C5 - E5 progression.
Guitar Tips
On guitar, practice the F# 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 F# Locrian Pentatonic scale contains 5 notes (F#, A, B, C, E). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for F# Locrian Pentatonic
The F# 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 F# Locrian Pentatonic Further
- Harmonize the F# Locrian Pentatonic scale — triads & 7th chords
- Browse chord progressions
- F# Locrian Pentatonic on Ukulele
- F# Locrian Pentatonic on Bass
- F# Locrian Pentatonic on Piano
Explore F# Locrian Pentatonic in Other Tunings
- F# Locrian Pentatonic in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
- F# Locrian Pentatonic in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
- F# Locrian Pentatonic in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
- F# Locrian Pentatonic in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
- F# Locrian Pentatonic in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
- F# Locrian Pentatonic in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
- F# Locrian Pentatonic in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
- F# Locrian Pentatonic in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
- F# Locrian Pentatonic in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
- F# Locrian Pentatonic in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
- F# Locrian Pentatonic in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
- F# Locrian Pentatonic in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
- F# Locrian Pentatonic in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
- F# Locrian Pentatonic in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)