Chord Colors

D♯ Altered scale

About the D sharp Altered scale

D sharp Altered is used for jazz solos over altered dominant chords. Think of it as the altered dominant scale, a major third surrounded by every tension raised or lowered. It is D Locrian with the fourth lowered.

Its notes are D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. The formula is H W H W W W W. It is the seventh mode of E Melodic Minor Ascending.

Also called Super Locrian and Altered Dominant.

Learn more about the D♯ Altered scale

The mode draws three black keys from the piano, D, F, and C.

Chords in the key of D sharp Altered

Expand a chord to see how to play it.

D sharp diminished
Position 2 of 3

D sharp diminished over F sharp (1st inversion)

ii E minor
Position 2 of 3

E minor over G (1st inversion)

iii F sharp minor
Position 2 of 3

F sharp minor over A (1st inversion)

IV+ G augmented
Position 2 of 3

G augmented over B (1st inversion)

V A
Position 2 of 3

A over C sharp (1st inversion)

VI B
Position 2 of 3

B over D sharp (1st inversion)

vii° C sharp diminished
Position 2 of 3

C sharp diminished over E (1st inversion)

Seventh chords in D sharp Altered

The four-note version of each chord, richer and jazzier.

D sharp minor seven flat five

D sharp minor seven flat five

ii E minor major seven

E minor major seven

iii F sharp minor seven

F sharp minor seven

IV+ G major seven sharp five

G major seven sharp five

V A seven

A seven

VI B seven

B seven

vii° C sharp minor seven flat five

C sharp minor seven flat five

Progressions in D sharp Altered

Tap any chord to hear it, or play the whole progression.

Notes and intervals

1D#D♯Root
2EEMinor 2nd
3F#F♯Minor 3rd
4GGDiminished 4th
5AADiminished 5th
6BBMinor 6th
7C#C♯Minor 7th
StepsH W H W W W W
Semitones1-2-1-2-2-2-2
Degrees1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Fingering

Suggested fingering, follows standard fingering rules

Hand D sharpEF sharpGABC sharpD sharp
Right hand41231234
Left hand21432132

Shapes

Chromatic

CC♯D♭DD♯E♭EFF♯G♭GG♯A♭AA♯B♭B

Circle of Fifths

CGDAEBF♯G♭C♯D♭G♯A♭D♯E♭A♯B♭F

Related scales

Altered in other keys

Modes

The same notes, starting on a different note.

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Eb Altered scale on piano shown as colored note dots
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