C Altered Scale
4-string bass · Mode VII mel. · 7 notes · minor family
Notes
C
D♭
E♭
E
G♭
A♭
B♭
Solfège : Do – Ré♭ – Mi♭ – Mi – Sol♭ – La♭ – Si♭
Interval Structure
C
½T
D♭
T
E♭
½T
E
T
G♭
T
A♭
T
B♭
→
C+oct.
T
Scale Chords (triads)
| Degree | Chord (in C) | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| i° | C° | diminished |
| ii | D♭m | minor |
| iii | E♭m | minor |
| IV+ | E+ | augmented |
| V | G♭ | Major |
| VI | A♭ | Major |
| vii° | B♭° | 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 C Altered in the interactive app.
Explore in ScalaBass →