E♭ 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 E♭, the scale takes on the specific colour and pitch range of that key - making it especially useful in genres and registers where E♭ is a comfortable tonal centre.
| Notes | E♭ F♭ G♭ A𝄫 B𝄫 C♭ D♭ |
|---|---|
| Formula | 1P · 2m · 2A · 3M · 4A · 6m · 7m |
| Step pattern | H W H W W W W |
| Chords in the key | E♭°F♭mG♭mA𝄫+B𝄫C♭D♭° |
Chords in the E♭ Altered scale
These are the chords that naturally form on each degree of the scale. Click a chord to open its dedicated page.
E♭ Altered on the piano
Improvisation drone · E♭
Loop the root note as a pad to practice improvising over this scale.
On the piano E♭ Altered uses three black keys (E♭, G♭ and D♭) and four white. F♭, A𝄫, B𝄫 and C♭ are the white keys you'd normally call E, G, A and B.
E♭ · F♭ · G♭ · A𝄫 · B𝄫 · C♭ · D♭
Try E♭ Altered on the virtual piano
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E♭ Altered on the guitar
E♭ Altered - fr 0–12
E♭ Altered on the staff
Notes of the E♭ Altered scale
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | E♭ | unison1P | 0 | |
| 2 | F♭ | minor 2nd2m | 1 | |
| 3 | G♭ | augmented 2nd2A | 3 | |
| 4 | A𝄫 | major 3rd3M | 4 | |
| 5 | B𝄫 | augmented 4th4A | 6 | |
| 6 | C♭ | minor 6th6m | 8 | |
| 7 | D♭ | minor 7th7m | 10 |
What makes E♭ 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 E♭, E♭ Altered has A𝄫 where E♭ Locrian has A♭; every other note is shared with E♭ Locrian (E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ B𝄫 C♭ D♭).
How to use the E♭ Altered scale
The diatonic chords of E♭ Altered are: i° = E♭°, ii = F♭m, iii = G♭m, IV+ = A𝄫+, V = B𝄫, VI = C♭, vii° = D♭°. These seven chords belong naturally to the key and are the safest harmonic vocabulary when writing songs in E♭ 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 E♭ 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 E♭ Altered
Start with the music described above: listen for E♭ 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 E♭ Altered scale?
The E♭ Altered scale contains E♭, F♭, G♭, A𝄫, B𝄫, C♭ and D♭.
What is the formula for the E♭ Altered scale?
E♭ Altered follows the seventh mode of melodic minor — root, ♭9, ♯9, 3, ♯11, ♭13, ♭7, packing every common dominant alteration into one scale.
Is E♭ Altered a major or minor scale?
E♭ 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 E♭ Altered scale?
The diatonic chords of E♭ Altered are E♭°, F♭m, G♭m, A𝄫+, B𝄫, C♭, D♭°.
Which genres use E♭ 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 E♭ Altered scale on the piano?
On the piano E♭ Altered uses three black keys (E♭, G♭ and D♭) and four white. F♭, A𝄫, B𝄫 and C♭ are the white keys you'd normally call E, G, A and B.
What is the difference between E♭ Altered and E♭ Locrian?
On E♭, E♭ Altered has A𝄫 where E♭ Locrian has A♭; every other note is shared with E♭ Locrian (E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ B𝄫 C♭ D♭).
How do I practise the E♭ 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.