Ab Altered Scale

4-string bass  ·  Mode VII mel.  ·  7 notes  ·  minor family

Notes

A♭
B♭♭
C♭
C
E♭♭
F♭
G♭

Solfège : La♭ – Si♭♭ – Do♭ – Do – Mi♭♭ – Fa♭ – Sol♭

Interval Structure

A♭ ½T B♭♭ T C♭ ½T C T E♭♭ T F♭ T G♭ A♭+oct. T

Scale Chords (triads)

DegreeChord (in Ab)Quality
A♭° diminished
ii B♭♭m minor
iii C♭m minor
IV+ C+ augmented
V E♭♭ Major
VI F♭ Major
vii° G♭° diminished

About this scale

The altered scale (mode VII of the melodic minor, or superlocrian) contains all altered tensions: b9, #9, b5, #5. It is the ultimate scale for V7alt→I resolutions in jazz. Bassists use it to create maximum tension before the resolution.

See fretboard positions, piano and arpeggios for Ab Altered in the interactive app.

Explore in ScalaBass →

Same scale in other keys