C♭ Altered at a glance
The Altered scale is the go-to choice over a V7alt chord in jazz. Every note that can be altered on a dominant is altered, making it the most tense and most resolution-hungry scale in the modal canon. Built on the root C♭, the scale takes on the specific colour and pitch range of that key - making it especially useful in genres and registers where C♭ is a comfortable tonal centre.
| Notes | C♭ D𝄫 E𝄫 F𝄫 G𝄫 A𝄫 B𝄫 |
|---|---|
| Formula | 1P · 2m · 2A · 3M · 4A · 6m · 7m |
| Step pattern | H W H W W W W |
| Chords in the key | C♭°D𝄫mE𝄫mF𝄫+G𝄫A𝄫B𝄫° |
Chords in the C♭ Altered scale
These are the chords that naturally form on each degree of the scale. Click a chord to open its dedicated page.
C♭ Altered on the piano
Improvisation drone · C♭
Loop the root note as a pad to practice improvising over this scale.
On the piano C♭ Altered uses one black key (F𝄫) and six white. C♭, D𝄫, E𝄫, G𝄫, A𝄫 and B𝄫 are the white keys you'd normally call B, C, D, F, G and A.
C♭ · D𝄫 · E𝄫 · F𝄫 · G𝄫 · A𝄫 · B𝄫
Try C♭ Altered on the virtual piano
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C♭ Altered on the guitar
C♭ Altered - fr 0–12
C♭ Altered on the staff
Notes of the C♭ Altered scale
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C♭ | unison1P | 0 | |
| 2 | D𝄫 | minor 2nd2m | 1 | |
| 3 | E𝄫 | augmented 2nd2A | 3 | |
| 4 | F𝄫 | major 3rd3M | 4 | |
| 5 | G𝄫 | augmented 4th4A | 6 | |
| 6 | A𝄫 | minor 6th6m | 8 | |
| 7 | B𝄫 | minor 7th7m | 10 |
What makes C♭ Altered different
The Altered scale is the seventh mode of melodic minor, also called super-Locrian. It's Locrian with a lowered fourth, and that note works as a major third, so the scale holds the 3 and ♭7 of a dominant chord plus every altered tension: ♭9, ♯9, ♯11 and ♭13. It has no natural fifth, and its ♭13 in place of a natural 13th is what separates it from the half-whole diminished scale over the same chord. It shares its notes with the melodic minor scale a half step above its root. On C♭, C♭ Altered has F𝄫 where C♭ Locrian has F♭; every other note is shared with C♭ Locrian (C♭ D𝄫 E𝄫 F♭ G𝄫 A𝄫 B𝄫).
How to use the C♭ Altered scale
The diatonic chords of C♭ Altered are: i° = C♭°, ii = D𝄫m, iii = E𝄫m, IV+ = F𝄫+, V = G𝄫, VI = A𝄫, vii° = B𝄫°. These seven chords belong naturally to the key and are the safest harmonic vocabulary when writing songs in C♭ Altered. Each one in the chord table on this page opens its own diagram and progressions.
The Altered scale is the go-to choice over a V7alt chord in jazz. Every note that can be altered on a dominant is altered, making it the most tense and most resolution-hungry scale in the modal canon.
Practice tips
Practise the altered scale exclusively over altered V7 chords. Resolve every altered tone (♭9 → root, ♯9 → ♭3 of the I chord) to feel why this scale is built for tension and release.
Formula & step pattern
The C♭ Altered scale follows the seventh mode of melodic minor — root, ♭9, ♯9, 3, ♯11, ♭13, ♭7, packing every common dominant alteration into one scale. Step pattern: H - W - H - W - W - W - W. Intervals from the root: 1P · 2m · 2A · 3M · 4A · 6m · 7m. Memorising the formula lets you transpose the scale to any other root note quickly.
Where you will hear C♭ Altered
Start with the music described above: listen for C♭ Altered in it and transcribe a few short phrases by ear. It's the quickest way to learn how the scale sounds.
Questions people ask
What notes are in the C♭ Altered scale?
The C♭ Altered scale contains C♭, D𝄫, E𝄫, F𝄫, G𝄫, A𝄫 and B𝄫.
What is the formula for the C♭ Altered scale?
C♭ Altered follows the seventh mode of melodic minor — root, ♭9, ♯9, 3, ♯11, ♭13, ♭7, packing every common dominant alteration into one scale.
Is C♭ Altered a major or minor scale?
C♭ Altered is a altered scale. Seventh mode of melodic minor (super-Locrian) — every available alteration on a dominant: ♭9, ♯9, ♯11, ♭13.
What chords belong to the C♭ Altered scale?
The diatonic chords of C♭ Altered are C♭°, D𝄫m, E𝄫m, F𝄫+, G𝄫, A𝄫, B𝄫°.
Which genres use C♭ Altered?
The Altered scale is the go-to choice over a V7alt chord in jazz. Every note that can be altered on a dominant is altered, making it the most tense and most resolution-hungry scale in the modal canon.
How do you play the C♭ Altered scale on the piano?
On the piano C♭ Altered uses one black key (F𝄫) and six white. C♭, D𝄫, E𝄫, G𝄫, A𝄫 and B𝄫 are the white keys you'd normally call B, C, D, F, G and A.
What is the difference between C♭ Altered and C♭ Locrian?
On C♭, C♭ Altered has F𝄫 where C♭ Locrian has F♭; every other note is shared with C♭ Locrian (C♭ D𝄫 E𝄫 F♭ G𝄫 A𝄫 B𝄫).
How do I practise the C♭ Altered scale?
Practise the altered scale exclusively over altered V7 chords. Resolve every altered tone (♭9 → root, ♯9 → ♭3 of the I chord) to feel why this scale is built for tension and release.