Altered ScaleThe altered scale is a heavy scale for dominant chords. It has every possible tension altered: b9, #9, #11, b13 and mix that with the major 3rd and minor 7th. Here it is for a C7: 
This is a great scale to use on
dominant V7 chords,
especially those that go down a fifth to a minor chord. This scale has a very strong sound and you should try to develop an ear for it. Sometimes on dominant chords I to play a
mixolydian scale
scale first and then change to the altered scale to finish it. Here's an interesting harmonic similarity I realized a couple years ago. If you have a G7 chord resolving to C you can play a G7 altered scale. Well, you can also play the substitute dominant chord for G which is a Db7 and the lydian dominant scale that you play for the Db7 has the same notes as the G7 altered scale. AMAZING! Go back to Music Scales or go to The Jazz Resource Homepage |