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.
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.
i° D sharp diminished
D sharp diminished over F sharp (1st inversion)
ii E minor
E minor over G (1st inversion)
iii F sharp minor
F sharp minor over A (1st inversion)
IV+ G augmented
G augmented over B (1st inversion)
V A
A over C sharp (1st inversion)
VI B
B over D sharp (1st inversion)
vii° C sharp diminished
C sharp diminished over E (1st inversion)
Seventh chords in D sharp Altered
The four-note version of each chord, richer and jazzier.
i° 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
| 1 | D#D♯ | Root |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | EE | Minor 2nd |
| 3 | F#F♯ | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | GG | Diminished 4th |
| 5 | AA | Diminished 5th |
| 6 | BB | Minor 6th |
| 7 | C#C♯ | Minor 7th |
| Steps | H W H W W W W |
|---|---|
| Semitones | 1-2-1-2-2-2-2 |
| Degrees | 1 ♭2 ♭3 ♭4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7 |
Fingering
Suggested fingering, follows standard fingering rules
| Hand | D sharp | E | F sharp | G | A | B | C sharp | D sharp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Left hand | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
Shapes
Chromatic
Circle of Fifths
Related scales
Altered in other keys
Modes
The same notes, starting on a different note.