E Locrian penta Scale
E Locrian penta contains 5 notes: E, G, A, B♭, D. It has 1 flat: B♭. The step pattern is W+H–W–H–4h–W.
One of the darkest possible pentatonic scales. The flat 5th removes the stable anchor found in most 5-note scales, creating a restless, unresolved quality that's unusual for a pentatonic.
The formula is 1, b3, 4, b5, b7. The b5 (tritone) replaces the perfect 5th, removing the interval that gives most pentatonic scales their grounded quality. It works over m7b5 (half-diminished) chords, providing a simple melodic vocabulary for an otherwise complex harmonic situation.
In jazz, it offers a more direct, less cerebral approach to half-diminished chords than full 7-note scales like Locrian. The shapes are similar to minor pentatonic with the 5th dropped one fret. In metal, use it for dark, sparse riffs that need more tension than standard minor pentatonic.