Guitar scale · super Locrian
G Altered Scale
7th mode of Melodic Minor. The ultimate scale for altered dominant chords in jazz solos.
Tap any note to hear it.
G Altered Scale tab: all 5 positions
Each tab climbs from the low E string to the high e string. Play it up, then back down.
e|-----------------------------3-4-6-7-| B|-------------------------4-6---------| G|-------------------3-4-6-------------| D|-------------3-5-6-------------------| A|---------4-6-------------------------| E|-3-4-6-7-----------------------------|
e|-----------------------------6-7-9-| B|-----------------------6-8-9-------| G|-------------------6-8-------------| D|-----------5-6-8-9-----------------| A|-------6-8-------------------------| E|-6-7-9-----------------------------|
e|-----------------------------------7-9-11-| B|----------------------------8-9-11--------| G|-----------------------8-10---------------| D|----------------8-9-11--------------------| A|--------8-10-11---------------------------| E|-7-9-11-----------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------11-13-| B|----------------------------------11-12-14-------| G|-------------------------10-12-13----------------| D|-------------------11-13-------------------------| A|-------10-11-13-14-------------------------------| E|-11-13-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------13-15-16-| B|-------------------------------------14-16----------| G|-------------------------12-13-15-16----------------| D|-------------------13-15----------------------------| A|----------13-14-16----------------------------------| E|-13-15-16-------------------------------------------|
How to play G Altered on guitar
Find the root first: G is at fret 3 on the low E string and fret 10 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every G on the neck; the gold ones are the rest of the scale's home chord (3, ♭7), the safest notes to land on at the end of a phrase.
Learn it one box at a time. Position 1, the E shape, sits at frets 3–7. Once it's under your fingers, move to position 2 (the D shape) and play the notes the two boxes share, then keep going up the neck. After all five, the scale joins up into one pattern across the whole fretboard.
Degrees
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | G |
| ♭9 | Ab |
| ♯9 | A# |
| 3 | B |
| ♭5 | Db |
| ♯5 | D# |
| ♭7 | F |
Chords in G Altered
Stack every other note of the scale and you get these seven chords. They are the chords that sound "at home" in G Altered; tap one to see its shapes.
| Degree | Chord | 7th chord | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| i° | Gdim | Gm7b5 | Tonic |
| ♭ii | Abm | Abm(maj7) | Supertonic |
| ♯iii | A#m | A#m7 | Mediant |
| IV+ | Baug | Bmaj7#5 | Subdominant |
| ♭V | Db | Db7 | Dominant |
| ♯VI | D# | D#7 | Submediant |
| ♭vii° | Fdim | Fm7b5 | Leading tone / subtonic |
Fretwise · Free on iPhone & Android
Practise G Altered anywhere, even offline.
This page is a small slice of Fretwise. The app adds practice: exercises that play as tab, a new routine every day, and the tools to tune and keep time. On iPhone, iPad and Android, no sign-up.
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- 65 scales and 56 chord types in every key, with CAGED shapes
- A tuner with 10 tunings and a metronome from 30 to 260 BPM
- A new Daily 15 routine every day, plus free exercises
- Maqam & makam between the frets, and the Name the Note quiz
One purchase
- 282 exercises that play as tab, and routines with a speed trainer
- Chord & Scale Finder: tap the neck, get the name
- Theory Lab and the Progression Builder with 51 genre loops
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Questions
- What notes are in the G Altered Scale?
- The G Altered Scale has 7 notes: G, Ab, A#, B, Db, D#, F.
- What chords are in the G Altered Scale?
- The chords of G Altered are Gdim (i°), Abm (♭ii), A#m (♯iii), Baug (IV+), Db (♭V), D# (♯VI), Fdim (♭vii°).
- What is the formula of the altered scale?
- 1 ♭9 ♯9 3 ♭5 ♯5 ♭7, which is the step pattern H W H W W W W (W = whole step, H = half step).
- Where do I play G Altered on the guitar?
- The root G is at fret 3 on the low E string and fret 10 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 3–7, and four more positions connect it up the neck.