Bb Altered Scale

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

Notes

B♭
C♭
D♭
D
F♭
G♭
A♭

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

Interval Structure

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

Scale Chords (triads)

DegreeChord (in Bb)Quality
B♭° diminished
ii C♭m minor
iii D♭m minor
IV+ D+ augmented
V F♭ Major
VI G♭ Major
vii° A♭° 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 Bb Altered in the interactive app.

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Same scale in other keys