About the F Altered Scale (Super Locrian)
The F altered scale is a 7-note scale. All altered tensions (♭9, #9, ♭5, #5) for dominant 7th chords resolving to minor. Its notes are F, F#, G#, A, B, C# and D#, built from the formula 1 ♭2 ♭3 3 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7.
- Notes
- F – F# – G# – A – B – 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
- F
F Altered Scale (Super Locrian) degrees and intervals
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | F | Root |
| ♭2 | F# | Minor 2nd |
| ♭3 | G# | Minor 3rd |
| 3 | A | Major 3rd |
| ♭5 | B | Tritone (♭5) |
| ♭6 | C# | Minor 6th |
| ♭7 | D# | Minor 7th |
Where to play the F Altered Scale (Super Locrian) on 6-string bass
Frets 0–12 in standard tuning (B E A D G C), lowest string first. Root notes (F) are highlighted; the pattern repeats from the 12th fret up.
| String | Frets |
|---|---|
| B0 | 0, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12 |
| E1 | 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11 |
| A1 | 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12 |
| D2 | 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11 |
| G2 | 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11 |
| C3 | 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11 |
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 F Altered Scale (Super Locrian)
These scales share every note with the F altered scale but start from a different root, so the same shapes work over different chords.
Altered scale in other keys
Other scales in F
- F Minor Pentatonic
- F Major Pentatonic
- F Mixolydian Pentatonic
- F Natural Minor
- F Major (Ionian)
- F Blues
- F Dorian
- F Mixolydian
- F Phrygian
- F Harmonic Minor
- F Lydian
- F Locrian
- F Diminished (Half-Whole)
- F Diminished (Whole-Half)
- F Whole Tone
- F Augmented (Hexatonic)
- F Phrygian Dominant
- F Lydian Dominant
- F Mixolydian ♭6 (Hindu)
- F Bebop Dominant
- F Quartal (Stacked 4ths)
- F Quartal Minor (Stacked 4ths)