F# Locrian Guitar Scale — Drop C

Guitar scale in Drop C tuning — fretboard diagram

F# Locrian in Drop C — Notes and Intervals

The F# Locrian scale is the seventh and most unstable mode of the major scale. On Guitar, the notes are F#, G, A, B, C, D, E. 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 F# Locrian are F#m7b5, GMaj7, Am7, Bm7, CMaj7, D7, Em7. 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: F#, G, A, B, C, D, E

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

Tuning: Drop C (C-G-C-F-A-D)

Diatonic Chords

F♯m7♭5 — GMaj7 — Am7 — Bm7 — CMaj7 — D7 — Em7

About Drop C Tuning

Drop C tuning (C-G-C-F-A-D) drops every string one whole step below Drop D, delivering a massive, brutal low-end that has defined the sound of modern metalcore, post-hardcore, and nu-metal. The low C string provides earth-shaking power chords with a single finger while maintaining familiar Drop D shapes — just two frets lower.

From System of a Down's iconic riffs to Killswitch Engage's crushing breakdowns, Drop C has become the standard tuning for heavy music that needs to sound bigger than standard Drop D. It bridges the gap between standard guitar territory and the extended range of 7-string guitars, making it accessible to players who want heavier tones without buying a new instrument.

MetalcorePost-HardcoreNu-MetalHeavy AlternativeDjent-lite

Notable artists: System of a Down, Killswitch Engage, Bullet for My Valentine, As I Lay Dying, August Burns Red

Best for: Modern metalcore breakdowns, heavy power chord riffs, nu-metal grooves, and aggressive rhythm playing

Explore This Scale in Other Tunings

← All Guitar scales in Drop C tuning