STRINGSCALES

A altered Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: F, G, A, Bb, B#, C#, D# at frets 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11

A string: A, Bb, B#, C#, D#, F, G, A at frets 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12

D string: D#, F, G, A, Bb, B#, C# at frets 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11

G string: G, A, Bb, B#, C#, D#, F, G at frets 0, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12

B string: B#, C#, D#, F, G, A, Bb at frets 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11

High E string: F, G, A, Bb, B#, C#, D# at frets 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11

Pick a root note

Pick a scale

A altered

The altered scale, also called super locrian, is the seventh mode of the melodic minor scale a half step up, and jazz's default over altered dominant chords. It contains the flat 9, sharp 9, sharp 11 and flat 13: every standard alteration and no plain tensions. Play it over a V7alt chord and resolve into the I; the wrongness is the point until the landing.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

A

i°

Adim
B♭

bii

B♭m
B♯

#ii

B♯m
C♯

III+

C♯aug
D♯

#IV

D♯maj
F

bVI

Fmaj
G

bvii°

Gdim

Characteristic notes: Bb (b9) and F (b13), every tension flattened, the go-to scale over altered dominant chords.

Same notes, different mode

A altered uses the same notes as the scales below. Start from a different note and you get a new mode built on the very same note set.

Bb melodic minorB# dorian b2C# lydian augmentedD# lydian dominantF mixolydian b6G locrian #2

altered in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • Use A altered over a V7alt chord only, then resolve: the b2 (Bb), #2 (C), b5 (Eb) and b6 (F) are the b9, #9, #11 and b13 of the chord.
  • Think melodic minor a half step above A: same notes, so your melodic minor fingerings already play this scale.
  • Land on the 3rd (C#) or flat 7th (G) on strong beats; they are the only stable tones, and they keep the chaos intelligible.
  • Practice resolving each altered tension by half step into the I chord's nearest chord tone; that voice leading is the whole point.

How to play A altered on guitar

Open A gives this key its root on the fifth string, so drone-and-melody playing works from the first note. Open G chips in the minor seventh, which means root and seventh can ring together with no fretting hand at all. E-shape barre sits at fret 5 with outer-string roots at the same fret. Bb melodic minor spells the same set of frets from one semitone up, so those shapes transfer untouched. At fret 9 the opening box is done.

homeall scalesaboutfaqpricingmicrotonalterms & conditionsprivacy policycookie policy© 2026 StringScales. All rights reserved.