About the E Altered Scale (Super Locrian)
The E altered scale is a 7-note scale. All altered tensions (♭9, #9, ♭5, #5) for dominant 7th chords resolving to minor. Its notes are E, F, G, G#, A#, C and D, built from the formula 1 ♭2 ♭3 3 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7.
- Notes
- E – F – G – G# – A# – C – D
- Formula
- 1 ♭2 ♭3 3 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7
- Steps
- H W H W W W W (1–2–1–2–2–2–2 semitones)
- Root
- E
E Altered Scale (Super Locrian) degrees and intervals
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | Root |
| ♭2 | F | Minor 2nd |
| ♭3 | G | Minor 3rd |
| 3 | G# | Major 3rd |
| ♭5 | A# | Tritone (♭5) |
| ♭6 | C | Minor 6th |
| ♭7 | D | Minor 7th |
Where to play the E Altered Scale (Super Locrian) on bass
Frets 0–12 in standard tuning (E A D G), lowest string first. Root notes (E) are highlighted; the pattern repeats from the 12th fret up.
| String | Frets |
|---|---|
| E1 | 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 |
| A1 | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11 |
| D2 | 0, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12 |
| G2 | 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12 |
How to practice the altered scale
- Use over V7alt chords resolving to minor
- Practice the melodic minor a half step up
- Work on jazz turnarounds (ii-V-i)
- Emphasize the ♭9 and #9 tensions
- Great for creating outside tension before resolution
Scales with the same notes as E Altered Scale (Super Locrian)
These scales share every note with the E altered scale but start from a different root, so the same shapes work over different chords.
Altered scale in other keys
Other scales in E
- E Minor Pentatonic
- E Major Pentatonic
- E Mixolydian Pentatonic
- E Natural Minor
- E Major (Ionian)
- E Blues
- E Dorian
- E Mixolydian
- E Phrygian
- E Harmonic Minor
- E Lydian
- E Locrian
- E Diminished (Half-Whole)
- E Diminished (Whole-Half)
- E Whole Tone
- E Augmented (Hexatonic)
- E Phrygian Dominant
- E Lydian Dominant
- E Mixolydian ♭6 (Hindu)
- E Bebop Dominant
- E Quartal (Stacked 4ths)
- E Quartal Minor (Stacked 4ths)