A Altered Scale Charts
Explore A Altered across the full guitar fretboard and 7 connected positions. Notes: A, A#, C, C#, D#, F, G. Intervals: 1, b2, #2, 3, b5, #5, b7.
A Altered full fretboard chart
A Altered uses A, A#, C, C#, D#, F, G across frets 0-15.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | #5F | b7G | RA | b2A# | #2C | 3C# | b5D# | #5F | b7G | |||||||
| 2B | #2C | 3C# | b5D# | #5F | b7G | RA | b2A# | #2C | 3C# | |||||||
| 3G | b7G | RA | b2A# | #2C | 3C# | b5D# | #5F | b7G | RA | b2A# | ||||||
| 4D | b5D# | #5F | b7G | RA | b2A# | #2C | 3C# | b5D# | #5F | |||||||
| 5A | RA | b2A# | #2C | 3C# | b5D# | #5F | b7G | RA | b2A# | #2C | ||||||
| 6E | #5F | b7G | RA | b2A# | #2C | 3C# | b5D# | #5F | b7G | |||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
String 1: F4 at fret 1 (#5), G4 at fret 3 (b7), A4 at fret 5 (root), A#4 at fret 6 (b2), C5 at fret 8 (#2), C#5 at fret 9 (3), D#5 at fret 11 (b5), F5 at fret 13 (#5), G5 at fret 15 (b7).
String 2: C4 at fret 1 (#2), C#4 at fret 2 (3), D#4 at fret 4 (b5), F4 at fret 6 (#5), G4 at fret 8 (b7), A4 at fret 10 (root), A#4 at fret 11 (b2), C5 at fret 13 (#2), C#5 at fret 14 (3).
String 3: G3 at fret 0 (b7), A3 at fret 2 (root), A#3 at fret 3 (b2), C4 at fret 5 (#2), C#4 at fret 6 (3), D#4 at fret 8 (b5), F4 at fret 10 (#5), G4 at fret 12 (b7), A4 at fret 14 (root), A#4 at fret 15 (b2).
String 4: D#3 at fret 1 (b5), F3 at fret 3 (#5), G3 at fret 5 (b7), A3 at fret 7 (root), A#3 at fret 8 (b2), C4 at fret 10 (#2), C#4 at fret 11 (3), D#4 at fret 13 (b5), F4 at fret 15 (#5).
String 5: A2 at fret 0 (root), A#2 at fret 1 (b2), C3 at fret 3 (#2), C#3 at fret 4 (3), D#3 at fret 6 (b5), F3 at fret 8 (#5), G3 at fret 10 (b7), A3 at fret 12 (root), A#3 at fret 13 (b2), C4 at fret 15 (#2).
String 6: F2 at fret 1 (#5), G2 at fret 3 (b7), A2 at fret 5 (root), A#2 at fret 6 (b2), C3 at fret 8 (#2), C#3 at fret 9 (3), D#3 at fret 11 (b5), F3 at fret 13 (#5), G3 at fret 15 (b7).
A Altered Position 1 chart
Position 1 covers frets 5-9 for A Altered.
| String | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | RA | b2A# | #2C | 3C# | |
| 2B | #5F | b7G | |||
| 3G | #2C | 3C# | b5D# | ||
| 4D | b7G | RA | b2A# | ||
| 5A | b5D# | #5F | |||
| 6E | RA | b2A# | #2C | 3C# | |
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
String 1: A4 at fret 5 (root), A#4 at fret 6 (b2), C5 at fret 8 (#2), C#5 at fret 9 (3).
String 2: F4 at fret 6 (#5), G4 at fret 8 (b7).
String 3: C4 at fret 5 (#2), C#4 at fret 6 (3), D#4 at fret 8 (b5).
String 4: G3 at fret 5 (b7), A3 at fret 7 (root), A#3 at fret 8 (b2).
String 5: D#3 at fret 6 (b5), F3 at fret 8 (#5).
String 6: A2 at fret 5 (root), A#2 at fret 6 (b2), C3 at fret 8 (#2), C#3 at fret 9 (3).
A Altered Position 2 chart
Position 2 covers frets 3-7 for A Altered.
| String | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b7G | RA | b2A# | ||
| 2B | b5D# | #5F | |||
| 3G | b2A# | #2C | 3C# | ||
| 4D | #5F | b7G | RA | ||
| 5A | #2C | 3C# | b5D# | ||
| 6E | b7G | RA | b2A# | ||
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
String 1: G4 at fret 3 (b7), A4 at fret 5 (root), A#4 at fret 6 (b2).
String 2: D#4 at fret 4 (b5), F4 at fret 6 (#5).
String 3: A#3 at fret 3 (b2), C4 at fret 5 (#2), C#4 at fret 6 (3).
String 4: F3 at fret 3 (#5), G3 at fret 5 (b7), A3 at fret 7 (root).
String 5: C3 at fret 3 (#2), C#3 at fret 4 (3), D#3 at fret 6 (b5).
String 6: G2 at fret 3 (b7), A2 at fret 5 (root), A#2 at fret 6 (b2).
A Altered Position 3 chart
Position 3 covers frets 2-6 for A Altered.
| String | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b7G | RA | b2A# | ||
| 2B | 3C# | b5D# | #5F | ||
| 3G | RA | b2A# | #2C | ||
| 4D | #5F | b7G | |||
| 5A | #2C | 3C# | b5D# | ||
| 6E | b7G | RA | b2A# | ||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
String 1: G4 at fret 3 (b7), A4 at fret 5 (root), A#4 at fret 6 (b2).
String 2: C#4 at fret 2 (3), D#4 at fret 4 (b5), F4 at fret 6 (#5).
String 3: A3 at fret 2 (root), A#3 at fret 3 (b2), C4 at fret 5 (#2).
String 4: F3 at fret 3 (#5), G3 at fret 5 (b7).
String 5: C3 at fret 3 (#2), C#3 at fret 4 (3), D#3 at fret 6 (b5).
String 6: G2 at fret 3 (b7), A2 at fret 5 (root), A#2 at fret 6 (b2).
A Altered Position 4 chart
Position 4 covers frets 0-4 for A Altered.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | #5F | b7G | |||
| 2B | #2C | 3C# | b5D# | ||
| 3G | b7G | RA | b2A# | ||
| 4D | b5D# | #5F | |||
| 5A | RA | b2A# | #2C | 3C# | |
| 6E | #5F | b7G | |||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
String 1: F4 at fret 1 (#5), G4 at fret 3 (b7).
String 2: C4 at fret 1 (#2), C#4 at fret 2 (3), D#4 at fret 4 (b5).
String 3: G3 at fret 0 (b7), A3 at fret 2 (root), A#3 at fret 3 (b2).
String 4: D#3 at fret 1 (b5), F3 at fret 3 (#5).
String 5: A2 at fret 0 (root), A#2 at fret 1 (b2), C3 at fret 3 (#2), C#3 at fret 4 (3).
String 6: F2 at fret 1 (#5), G2 at fret 3 (b7).
A Altered Position 5 chart
Position 5 covers frets 10-14 for A Altered.
| String | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b5D# | #5F | |||
| 2B | b2A# | #2C | 3C# | ||
| 3G | #5F | b7G | RA | ||
| 4D | #2C | 3C# | b5D# | ||
| 5A | b7G | RA | b2A# | ||
| 6E | b5D# | #5F | |||
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
String 1: D#5 at fret 11 (b5), F5 at fret 13 (#5).
String 2: A#4 at fret 11 (b2), C5 at fret 13 (#2), C#5 at fret 14 (3).
String 3: F4 at fret 10 (#5), G4 at fret 12 (b7), A4 at fret 14 (root).
String 4: C4 at fret 10 (#2), C#4 at fret 11 (3), D#4 at fret 13 (b5).
String 5: G3 at fret 10 (b7), A3 at fret 12 (root), A#3 at fret 13 (b2).
String 6: D#3 at fret 11 (b5), F3 at fret 13 (#5).
A Altered Position 6 chart
Position 6 covers frets 9-13 for A Altered.
| String | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 3C# | b5D# | #5F | ||
| 2B | RA | b2A# | #2C | ||
| 3G | #5F | b7G | |||
| 4D | #2C | 3C# | b5D# | ||
| 5A | b7G | RA | b2A# | ||
| 6E | 3C# | b5D# | #5F | ||
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
String 1: C#5 at fret 9 (3), D#5 at fret 11 (b5), F5 at fret 13 (#5).
String 2: A4 at fret 10 (root), A#4 at fret 11 (b2), C5 at fret 13 (#2).
String 3: F4 at fret 10 (#5), G4 at fret 12 (b7).
String 4: C4 at fret 10 (#2), C#4 at fret 11 (3), D#4 at fret 13 (b5).
String 5: G3 at fret 10 (b7), A3 at fret 12 (root), A#3 at fret 13 (b2).
String 6: C#3 at fret 9 (3), D#3 at fret 11 (b5), F3 at fret 13 (#5).
A Altered Position 7 chart
Position 7 covers frets 7-11 for A Altered.
| String | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | #2C | 3C# | b5D# | ||
| 2B | b7G | RA | b2A# | ||
| 3G | b5D# | #5F | |||
| 4D | RA | b2A# | #2C | 3C# | |
| 5A | #5F | b7G | |||
| 6E | #2C | 3C# | b5D# | ||
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
String 1: C5 at fret 8 (#2), C#5 at fret 9 (3), D#5 at fret 11 (b5).
String 2: G4 at fret 8 (b7), A4 at fret 10 (root), A#4 at fret 11 (b2).
String 3: D#4 at fret 8 (b5), F4 at fret 10 (#5).
String 4: A3 at fret 7 (root), A#3 at fret 8 (b2), C4 at fret 10 (#2), C#4 at fret 11 (3).
String 5: F3 at fret 8 (#5), G3 at fret 10 (b7).
String 6: C3 at fret 8 (#2), C#3 at fret 9 (3), D#3 at fret 11 (b5).
Altered scale essentials
- Interval formula
- 1 · b2 · #2 · 3 · b5 · #5 · b7
- Characteristic tones
- b2 · #2 · b5 · #5
Practice the A Altered sound
- Say and play the scale: Play A → A# → C → C# → D# → F → G → A up and back down, naming the degrees 1 → b2 → #2 → 3 → b5 → #5 → b7 → 1 as you go.
- Hear its defining tones: pause on A# (b2), C (#2), D# (b5), F (#5) before landing on A. Listen for how those characteristic tones color the phrase.
- Connect the positions: Work through all 7 position charts. Start in Position 1 (frets 5–9), then repeat a short phrase from the root in each shape. Use the full fretboard chart to find the next A as you move between positions.
Continue with this scale
Take Altered into the matching course and practice resources.