STRINGSCALES

D altered Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E#, F#, G#, Bb, C, D, Eb at frets 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11

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

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

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

B string: C, D, Eb, E#, F#, G#, Bb at frets 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11

High E string: E#, F#, G#, Bb, C, D, Eb at frets 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11

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D 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:

D

i°

Ddim
E♭

bii

E♭m
E♯

#ii

E♯m
F♯

III+

F♯aug
G♯

#IV

G♯maj
B♭

bVI

B♭maj
C

bvii°

Cdim

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

Same notes, different mode

D 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.

Eb melodic minorE# dorian b2F# lydian augmentedG# lydian dominantBb mixolydian b6C locrian #2

altered in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • Use D altered over a V7alt chord only, then resolve: the b2 (Eb), #2 (F), b5 (Ab) and b6 (Bb) are the b9, #9, #11 and b13 of the chord.
  • Think melodic minor a half step above D: same notes, so your melodic minor fingerings already play this scale.
  • Land on the 3rd (F#) or flat 7th (C) 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 D altered on guitar

Open D is the root, so the fourth string can drone under everything you play in this key. More roots sit close by, fret 3 on the B string plus fret 5 on the A string, which means early phrases can stay under fret 6. Shapes for Eb melodic minor, one semitone up, land on exactly the same frets, letting a single fingering cover both scales. Barres anchor at fret 5 for the A-shape and fret 10 for the E-shape. Hand-off past the opening box comes at fret 14.

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