Package leaflet · Information for the musician · Scale
D Altered Scale
Maximum tension. Every possible altered tension (♭9, ♯9, ♯11, ♭13) over a dominant chord, creating a sharp pull toward resolution.
- 7 notes
- 4 ♭
- jazz
1Composition: what it contains
D – E♭ – F – G♭ – A♭ – B♭ – C
- Formula
- 1 ♭2 ♭3 ♭4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7
- Steps
- H – W – H – W – W – W – W
- Number of notes
- 7
- Sharps and flats
- 4 ♭
- Also called
- super Locrian, diminished whole-tone scale, seventh mode of melodic minor
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D | unison | 0 |
| ♭2 | E♭ | minor second | 1 |
| ♭3 | F | minor third | 3 |
| ♭4 | G♭ | diminished fourth | 4 |
| ♭5 | A♭ | diminished fifth | 6 |
| ♭6 | B♭ | minor sixth | 8 |
| ♭7 | C | minor seventh | 10 |
2Appearance: diagrams and sound
Tip: click any note, key or fret to hear it. Orange = root.
3Indications: what it is used for
The seventh mode of the melodic minor scale (1-♭2-♯2-3-♭5-♭6-♭7, usually spelled as 1, ♭9, ♯9, 3, ♯11, ♭13, ♭7). It is the standard jazz choice over altered dominant chords (7alt, 7♯9♭13, 7♭9♯5) resolving to a major or minor tonic, especially V7 in a minor ii–V–i. Bebop, post-bop, fusion and modern gospel all use it. It contains the guide tones of the chord (3 and ♭7) plus all altered tensions, with no natural fifth.
4Dosage: how to practise it
Ten to fifteen minutes daily. Think of it as melodic minor a half step above the root and practise both views. Play it at 60–100 BPM in eighth notes, then practise four-note arpeggios from the third (a maj7♯5 shape) and from the ♭7 (a m7♭5 shape). Work on ii–V–I lines: Dorian on ii, altered on V7, then resolve a half step to the third of I. On guitar, learn melodic minor shapes shifted up a half step. On piano, voice V7alt as 3-♭7-♯9-♭13 in the left hand.
5Warnings and common mistakes
Do not use it over a dominant chord with a natural fifth, ninth or thirteenth in the voicing: the alterations will clash. It only works on dominant chords; over a minor chord it sounds wrong. Do not hold the alterations: resolve them by half step to chord tones of the next chord. Spelling is a common confusion: the ♭2 and ♯2 are better read as ♭9 and ♯9 in chord context, and the scale has no perfect fifth.
6Interactions with chords, scales and keys
Chords of the scale (triads)
| Degree | Chord | Notes | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| i° | Ddim | D – F – A♭ | |
| ♭ii | E♭m | E♭ – G♭ – B♭ | |
| ♭iii | Fm | F – A♭ – C | |
| ♭IV+ | G♭aug | G♭ – B♭ – D | |
| ♭V | A♭ | A♭ – C – E♭ | |
| ♭VI | B♭ | B♭ – D – F | |
| ♭vii° | Cdim | C – E♭ – G♭ |
Chords of the scale (seventh chords)
| Degree | Chord | Notes | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| iø7 | Dm7♭5 | D – F – A♭ – C | |
| ♭ii(maj7) | E♭m(maj7) | E♭ – G♭ – B♭ – D | |
| ♭iii7 | Fm7 | F – A♭ – C – E♭ | |
| ♭IV+maj7 | G♭+maj7 | G♭ – B♭ – D – F | |
| ♭V7 | A♭7 | A♭ – C – E♭ – G♭ | |
| ♭VI7 | B♭7 | B♭ – D – F – A♭ | |
| ♭viiø7 | Cm7♭5 | C – E♭ – G♭ – B♭ |
Same notes, different starting point
7Other presentations available
The same scale from every note
- C Altered Scale
- C sharp Altered Scale
- D sharp Altered Scale
- E Altered Scale
- E sharp Altered Scale
- F sharp Altered Scale
- G Altered Scale
- G sharp Altered Scale
- A Altered Scale
- A sharp Altered Scale
- B Altered Scale
Other scales from the same note
- D Major Scale
- D Natural Minor Scale
- D Harmonic Minor Scale
- D Melodic Minor Scale
- D Dorian Mode
- D Phrygian Mode
- D Lydian Mode
- D Mixolydian Mode
- D Locrian Mode
- D Major Pentatonic Scale
- D Minor Pentatonic Scale
- D Blues Scale
- D Major Blues Scale
- D Whole Tone Scale
- D Half-Whole Diminished Scale
- D Whole-Half Diminished Scale
- D Phrygian Dominant Scale
- D Hungarian Minor Scale
- D Lydian Dominant Scale
- D Double Harmonic Major Scale
- D Bebop Dominant Scale
Read this leaflet carefully before playing. Keep it near your instrument. Free to use, print and share for personal and educational use.