E Locrian Pentatonic Ukulele 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 Ukulele, 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

Musical Character

The darkest pentatonic — contains the b5 that defines the Locrian sound. Excellent for outlining m7b5 chords in jazz with minimal notes.

Genres & Notable Artists

Genres: Jazz, Fusion, Experimental, Progressive

Notable players: John Scofield, Kurt Rosenwinkel

How to Use the E Locrian Pentatonic Scale

Use over m7b5 (half-diminished) chords. Essential for jazz solos over ii chords in minor ii-V-i progressions.

Origin & Background

Jazz-derived pentatonic for navigating half-diminished chord changes with clarity.

How to Play E Locrian Pentatonic on Ukulele

On ukulele, find E on the fret 4 area, and work through the scale within a four-fret span. With 5 notes, this scale fits neatly on the ukulele's short fretboard without requiring large stretches.

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

Practice the E Locrian Pentatonic scale by playing it ascending with one rhythmic feel (straight eighth notes) and descending with another (swing or triplets) at 100 BPM. This dual approach trains both technical accuracy and rhythmic versatility with the 5 notes of the scale.

This scale works well over simple power chord progressions or a 12-bar blues in E. Try a E5 - Bb5 - D5 progression. This scale is especially effective in fusion contexts.

Ukulele Tips

On ukulele, the E Locrian Pentatonic scale sounds particularly charming when played as a melodic pattern over fingerpicked chord shapes. Try integrating scale tones into your strumming patterns for a more sophisticated sound. Aim for a dark quality in your phrasing to match the natural character of this scale.

Related Scales

Locrian Pentatonic is the Five-note Locrian subset. View E Locrian scale

• E Locrian
• E Locrian #2
• E Altered

The E Locrian Pentatonic scale contains 5 notes (E, G, A, Bb, D). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Ukulele 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 Guitar
• E Locrian Pentatonic on Bass
• E Locrian Pentatonic on Piano

Explore E Locrian Pentatonic in Other Tunings

• E Locrian Pentatonic in Baritone (E-B-G-D)

← Back to all Ukulele scales