F Locrian scale on cavaquinho
The F Locrian scale has 7 notes: F G♭ A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ (F, G flat, A flat, B flat, C flat, D flat, and E flat).
- F 1
- G♭ G flat ♭2
- A♭ A flat ♭3
- B♭ B flat 4
- C♭ C flat ♭5
- D♭ D flat ♭6
- E♭ E flat ♭7
Whole neck: every note of the scale up to fret 17. The root (F) is highlighted.
Positions as text
Position 1 (frets 3 to 7), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 3 (F), 4 (G♭), 6 (A♭)
- string 3: 3 (B♭), 4 (C♭), 6 (D♭)
- string 2: 4 (E♭), 6 (F), 7 (G♭)
- string 1: 6 (A♭)
Position 2 (frets 4 to 8), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 4 (G♭), 6 (A♭), 8 (B♭)
- string 3: 4 (C♭), 6 (D♭), 8 (E♭)
- string 2: 6 (F), 7 (G♭)
- string 1: 6 (A♭), 8 (B♭)
Position 3 (frets 6 to 10), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 6 (A♭), 8 (B♭), 9 (C♭)
- string 3: 6 (D♭), 8 (E♭), 10 (F)
- string 2: 7 (G♭), 9 (A♭)
- string 1: 8 (B♭), 9 (C♭)
Position 4 (frets 8 to 12), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 8 (B♭), 9 (C♭), 11 (D♭)
- string 3: 8 (E♭), 10 (F), 11 (G♭)
- string 2: 9 (A♭), 11 (B♭), 12 (C♭)
- string 1: 11 (D♭)
Position 5 (frets 9 to 13), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 9 (C♭), 11 (D♭), 13 (E♭)
- string 3: 10 (F), 11 (G♭), 13 (A♭)
- string 2: 11 (B♭), 12 (C♭)
- string 1: 11 (D♭), 13 (E♭)
Position 6 (frets 11 to 15), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 11 (D♭), 13 (E♭), 15 (F)
- string 3: 11 (G♭), 13 (A♭), 15 (B♭)
- string 2: 12 (C♭), 14 (D♭)
- string 1: 13 (E♭), 15 (F)
Position 7 (frets 13 to 16), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 13 (E♭), 15 (F), 16 (G♭)
- string 3: 13 (A♭), 15 (B♭), 16 (C♭)
- string 2: 14 (D♭), 16 (E♭)
- string 1: 15 (F), 16 (G♭)
Fretboard positions
Each position fits within 5 frets, with 2 to 3 notes per string, and starts on a scale note on the lowest string. Position 1 starts on the root (F).
On the cavaquinho the strings sit close together in pitch, and the 3-notes-per-string shape from the guitar would turn into a 7-fret stretch. That is why each position here fits within 5 frets.
Use Degrees to see the role of each note (1 is the root) and Listen to hear the selected position going up and down.
Formula
- F
- H
- G♭
- W
- A♭
- W
- B♭
- H
- C♭
- W
- D♭
- W
- E♭
- W
- F
Degrees: 1 · ♭2 · ♭3 · 4 · ♭5 · ♭6 · ♭7. Steps: H – W – W – H – W – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step).
About the Locrian scale
The most unstable mode, with a diminished 5th. Used over half-diminished chords.
Harmonized scale (chords in the key)
The chords that come from the scale, stacking thirds from each note.
Scales with the same notes
More F scales
- Major
- Natural minor
- Harmonic minor
- Melodic minor
- Major pentatonic
- Minor pentatonic
- Blues
- Major blues
- Dorian
- Phrygian
- Lydian
- Mixolydian
- Locrian
- Nordestina (Brazilian baião)
- Phrygian dominant
- Whole-tone
- Diminished (whole-half)
- Dominant diminished (half-whole)
Locrian in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the F Locrian scale?
The notes of the F Locrian scale are F, G flat, A flat, B flat, C flat, D flat, and E flat. The root, degree 1, is F.
What is the formula of the F Locrian scale?
In degrees: 1 · ♭2 · ♭3 · 4 · ♭5 · ♭6 · ♭7. In steps between the notes: H – W – W – H – W – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step).
How do you play the F Locrian scale on cavaquinho?
Each position fits within 5 frets, with 2 to 3 notes per string, and starts on a scale note on the lowest string. Position 1 starts on the root (F). There are 7 positions on cavaquinho, each with the full fingering.
Which chords belong to the F Locrian scale?
The chords of the harmonized scale are: F°, G♭, A♭m, B♭m, C♭, D♭, E♭m.