D Altered Scale

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

Notes

D
E♭
F
F♯
A♭
B♭
C

Solfège : Ré – Mi♭ – Fa – Fa♯ – La♭ – Si♭ – Do

Interval Structure

D ½T E♭ T F ½T F♯ T A♭ T B♭ T C D+oct. T

Scale Chords (triads)

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

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Same scale in other keys