C Altered Scale

What is the C Altered Scale?

The altered scale (also called Super Locrian) is the seventh mode of the melodic minor scale, and it lives up to its name — every possible tension is altered (♭9, #9, ♭5/#11, #5/♭13). It's the ultimate dominant tension scale in jazz, used over V7 chords when you want maximum harmonic tension before resolving. Here's how the C Altered Scale lays out on the fretboard.

Notes and Positions

All altered tensions over V7; 7th mode of melodic minor. On guitar, the same scale tones repeat in multiple positions, so the real goal is learning how to connect shapes up and down the neck. Use the CAGED boxes as smaller practice areas before linking the full fretboard. In the key of C, the notes are: C, Db, D#, E, F#, Ab, Bb.

How to Use It

You'll often hear it in Jazz, Fusion, and Altered dominant chords. A good way to internalize the sound is to sing the root, then sing a few scale degrees before you play them.

Loop a simple backing track in the same key and target the root on strong beats. Use the interactive fretboard above to spot repeats of the same note on different strings and frets.