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.
On the piano, G♯ Altered touches the black keys G♯ and F♯. Ascending through the scale, five white keys fall in a row.
Chords in the key of G sharp Altered
Expand a chord to see how to play it.
i° G sharp diminished
G sharp diminished over B (1st inversion)
ii A minor
A minor over C (1st inversion)
iii B minor
B minor over D (1st inversion)
IV+ C augmented
C augmented over E (1st inversion)
V D
D over F sharp (1st inversion)
VI E
E over G sharp (1st inversion)
vii° F sharp diminished
F sharp diminished over A (1st inversion)
Seventh chords in G sharp Altered
The four-note version of each chord, richer and jazzier.
i° G sharp minor seven flat five
G sharp minor seven flat five
ii A minor major seven
A minor major seven
iii B minor seven
B minor seven
IV+ C major seven sharp five
C major seven sharp five
V D seven
D seven
VI E seven
E seven
vii° F sharp minor seven flat five
F sharp minor seven flat five
Progressions in G sharp Altered
Tap any chord to hear it, or play the whole progression.
Notes and intervals
| 1 | G#G♯ | Root |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | AA | Minor 2nd |
| 3 | BB | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | CC | Diminished 4th |
| 5 | DD | Diminished 5th |
| 6 | EE | Minor 6th |
| 7 | F#F♯ | 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 | G sharp | A | B | C | D | E | F sharp | G sharp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Left hand | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
Shapes
Chromatic
Circle of Fifths
Related scales
Altered in other keys
Modes
The same notes, starting on a different note.