Chord Colors

G♯ Altered scale

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About the G sharp Altered scale

G 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 G Locrian with the fourth lowered.

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

Also called Super Locrian and Altered Dominant.

Learn more about the G♯ Altered scale

The open-string notes E, A, D, and B all sit inside this scale. Down at the 4th fret of the low E string lies the lowest G a guitar can play. Capo the first fret to play G Altered with G-shape fingerings.

Positions

Playable shapes for this scale up the neck. Tap any note to hear it.

CAGED

Five shapes, each anchored to a chord form you already know, the pop and rock default that ties your scales to your chords. The outlined notes are that chord, so you can see the C, A, G, E, and D shapes inside the scale.

G shapefr 1
E shapefr 3
D shapefr 5
C shapefr 8
A shapefr 10
3NPS

3NPS stands for 3 notes per string. It lays the scale out in seven even shapes for rock and metal lead, and favors speed because the picking pattern stays consistent across every string.

Shape 1open
Shape 2fr 2
Shape 3fr 3
Shape 4fr 5
Shape 5fr 7
Shape 6fr 8
Shape 7fr 10
7-position system

7 four-fret boxes, one per scale degree, each a single hand position with almost no shifting. The jazz and classical way, from William Leavitt's Berklee method.

Position 1open
Position 2fr 2
Position 3fr 4
Position 4fr 5
Position 5fr 7
Position 6fr 8
Position 7fr 10

Chords in the key of G sharp Altered

Expand a chord to see how to play it.

G sharp diminished
Position 1 of 4
ii A minor
Position 1 of 4
iii B minor
Position 1 of 4
IV+ C augmented
Position 1 of 4
V D
Position 1 of 4
VI E
Position 1 of 4
vii° F sharp diminished
Position 1 of 4

Seventh chords in G sharp Altered

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

G sharp minor seven flat five
Position 1 of 4
ii A minor major seven
Position 1 of 4
iii B minor seven
Position 1 of 4
IV+ C major seven sharp five
Position 1 of 4
V D seven
Position 1 of 4
VI E seven
Position 1 of 4
vii° F sharp minor seven flat five
Position 1 of 4

Progressions in G sharp Altered

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

Notes and intervals

1G#G♯Root
2AAMinor 2nd
3BBMinor 3rd
4CCDiminished 4th
5DDDiminished 5th
6EEMinor 6th
7F#F♯Minor 7th
StepsH W H W W W W
Semitones1-2-1-2-2-2-2
Degrees1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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.

Embed this scale

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Ab Altered scale on guitar shown as colored note dots
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