A# Altered Scale Charts
Explore A# Altered across the full guitar fretboard and 7 connected positions. Notes: A#, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#. Intervals: 1, b2, #2, 3, b5, #5, b7.
A# Altered full fretboard chart
A# Altered uses A#, B, C#, D, E, F#, G# across frets 0-15.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b5E | #5F# | b7G# | RA# | b2B | #2C# | 3D | b5E | #5F# | |||||||
| 2B | b2B | #2C# | 3D | b5E | #5F# | b7G# | RA# | b2B | #2C# | 3D | ||||||
| 3G | b7G# | RA# | b2B | #2C# | 3D | b5E | #5F# | b7G# | RA# | |||||||
| 4D | 3D | b5E | #5F# | b7G# | RA# | b2B | #2C# | 3D | b5E | |||||||
| 5A | RA# | b2B | #2C# | 3D | b5E | #5F# | b7G# | RA# | b2B | |||||||
| 6E | b5E | #5F# | b7G# | RA# | b2B | #2C# | 3D | b5E | #5F# | |||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
String 1: E4 at fret 0 (b5), F#4 at fret 2 (#5), G#4 at fret 4 (b7), A#4 at fret 6 (root), B4 at fret 7 (b2), C#5 at fret 9 (#2), D5 at fret 10 (3), E5 at fret 12 (b5), F#5 at fret 14 (#5).
String 2: B3 at fret 0 (b2), C#4 at fret 2 (#2), D4 at fret 3 (3), E4 at fret 5 (b5), F#4 at fret 7 (#5), G#4 at fret 9 (b7), A#4 at fret 11 (root), B4 at fret 12 (b2), C#5 at fret 14 (#2), D5 at fret 15 (3).
String 3: G#3 at fret 1 (b7), A#3 at fret 3 (root), B3 at fret 4 (b2), C#4 at fret 6 (#2), D4 at fret 7 (3), E4 at fret 9 (b5), F#4 at fret 11 (#5), G#4 at fret 13 (b7), A#4 at fret 15 (root).
String 4: D3 at fret 0 (3), E3 at fret 2 (b5), F#3 at fret 4 (#5), G#3 at fret 6 (b7), A#3 at fret 8 (root), B3 at fret 9 (b2), C#4 at fret 11 (#2), D4 at fret 12 (3), E4 at fret 14 (b5).
String 5: A#2 at fret 1 (root), B2 at fret 2 (b2), C#3 at fret 4 (#2), D3 at fret 5 (3), E3 at fret 7 (b5), F#3 at fret 9 (#5), G#3 at fret 11 (b7), A#3 at fret 13 (root), B3 at fret 14 (b2).
String 6: E2 at fret 0 (b5), F#2 at fret 2 (#5), G#2 at fret 4 (b7), A#2 at fret 6 (root), B2 at fret 7 (b2), C#3 at fret 9 (#2), D3 at fret 10 (3), E3 at fret 12 (b5), F#3 at fret 14 (#5).
A# Altered Position 1 chart
Position 1 covers frets 6-10 for A# Altered.
| String | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | RA# | b2B | #2C# | 3D | |
| 2B | #5F# | b7G# | |||
| 3G | #2C# | 3D | b5E | ||
| 4D | b7G# | RA# | b2B | ||
| 5A | b5E | #5F# | |||
| 6E | RA# | b2B | #2C# | 3D | |
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
String 1: A#4 at fret 6 (root), B4 at fret 7 (b2), C#5 at fret 9 (#2), D5 at fret 10 (3).
String 2: F#4 at fret 7 (#5), G#4 at fret 9 (b7).
String 3: C#4 at fret 6 (#2), D4 at fret 7 (3), E4 at fret 9 (b5).
String 4: G#3 at fret 6 (b7), A#3 at fret 8 (root), B3 at fret 9 (b2).
String 5: E3 at fret 7 (b5), F#3 at fret 9 (#5).
String 6: A#2 at fret 6 (root), B2 at fret 7 (b2), C#3 at fret 9 (#2), D3 at fret 10 (3).
A# Altered Position 2 chart
Position 2 covers frets 4-8 for A# Altered.
| String | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b7G# | RA# | b2B | ||
| 2B | b5E | #5F# | |||
| 3G | b2B | #2C# | 3D | ||
| 4D | #5F# | b7G# | RA# | ||
| 5A | #2C# | 3D | b5E | ||
| 6E | b7G# | RA# | b2B | ||
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
String 1: G#4 at fret 4 (b7), A#4 at fret 6 (root), B4 at fret 7 (b2).
String 2: E4 at fret 5 (b5), F#4 at fret 7 (#5).
String 3: B3 at fret 4 (b2), C#4 at fret 6 (#2), D4 at fret 7 (3).
String 4: F#3 at fret 4 (#5), G#3 at fret 6 (b7), A#3 at fret 8 (root).
String 5: C#3 at fret 4 (#2), D3 at fret 5 (3), E3 at fret 7 (b5).
String 6: G#2 at fret 4 (b7), A#2 at fret 6 (root), B2 at fret 7 (b2).
A# Altered Position 3 chart
Position 3 covers frets 3-7 for A# Altered.
| String | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b7G# | RA# | b2B | ||
| 2B | 3D | b5E | #5F# | ||
| 3G | RA# | b2B | #2C# | ||
| 4D | #5F# | b7G# | |||
| 5A | #2C# | 3D | b5E | ||
| 6E | b7G# | RA# | b2B | ||
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
String 1: G#4 at fret 4 (b7), A#4 at fret 6 (root), B4 at fret 7 (b2).
String 2: D4 at fret 3 (3), E4 at fret 5 (b5), F#4 at fret 7 (#5).
String 3: A#3 at fret 3 (root), B3 at fret 4 (b2), C#4 at fret 6 (#2).
String 4: F#3 at fret 4 (#5), G#3 at fret 6 (b7).
String 5: C#3 at fret 4 (#2), D3 at fret 5 (3), E3 at fret 7 (b5).
String 6: G#2 at fret 4 (b7), A#2 at fret 6 (root), B2 at fret 7 (b2).
A# Altered Position 4 chart
Position 4 covers frets 1-5 for A# Altered.
| String | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | #5F# | b7G# | |||
| 2B | #2C# | 3D | b5E | ||
| 3G | b7G# | RA# | b2B | ||
| 4D | b5E | #5F# | |||
| 5A | RA# | b2B | #2C# | 3D | |
| 6E | #5F# | b7G# | |||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
String 1: F#4 at fret 2 (#5), G#4 at fret 4 (b7).
String 2: C#4 at fret 2 (#2), D4 at fret 3 (3), E4 at fret 5 (b5).
String 3: G#3 at fret 1 (b7), A#3 at fret 3 (root), B3 at fret 4 (b2).
String 4: E3 at fret 2 (b5), F#3 at fret 4 (#5).
String 5: A#2 at fret 1 (root), B2 at fret 2 (b2), C#3 at fret 4 (#2), D3 at fret 5 (3).
String 6: F#2 at fret 2 (#5), G#2 at fret 4 (b7).
A# Altered Position 5 chart
Position 5 covers frets 11-15 for A# Altered.
| String | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b5E | #5F# | |||
| 2B | b2B | #2C# | 3D | ||
| 3G | #5F# | b7G# | RA# | ||
| 4D | #2C# | 3D | b5E | ||
| 5A | b7G# | RA# | b2B | ||
| 6E | b5E | #5F# | |||
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
String 1: E5 at fret 12 (b5), F#5 at fret 14 (#5).
String 2: B4 at fret 12 (b2), C#5 at fret 14 (#2), D5 at fret 15 (3).
String 3: F#4 at fret 11 (#5), G#4 at fret 13 (b7), A#4 at fret 15 (root).
String 4: C#4 at fret 11 (#2), D4 at fret 12 (3), E4 at fret 14 (b5).
String 5: G#3 at fret 11 (b7), A#3 at fret 13 (root), B3 at fret 14 (b2).
String 6: E3 at fret 12 (b5), F#3 at fret 14 (#5).
A# Altered Position 6 chart
Position 6 covers frets 10-14 for A# Altered.
| String | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 3D | b5E | #5F# | ||
| 2B | RA# | b2B | #2C# | ||
| 3G | #5F# | b7G# | |||
| 4D | #2C# | 3D | b5E | ||
| 5A | b7G# | RA# | b2B | ||
| 6E | 3D | b5E | #5F# | ||
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
String 1: D5 at fret 10 (3), E5 at fret 12 (b5), F#5 at fret 14 (#5).
String 2: A#4 at fret 11 (root), B4 at fret 12 (b2), C#5 at fret 14 (#2).
String 3: F#4 at fret 11 (#5), G#4 at fret 13 (b7).
String 4: C#4 at fret 11 (#2), D4 at fret 12 (3), E4 at fret 14 (b5).
String 5: G#3 at fret 11 (b7), A#3 at fret 13 (root), B3 at fret 14 (b2).
String 6: D3 at fret 10 (3), E3 at fret 12 (b5), F#3 at fret 14 (#5).
A# Altered Position 7 chart
Position 7 covers frets 8-12 for A# Altered.
| String | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | #2C# | 3D | b5E | ||
| 2B | b7G# | RA# | b2B | ||
| 3G | b5E | #5F# | |||
| 4D | RA# | b2B | #2C# | 3D | |
| 5A | #5F# | b7G# | |||
| 6E | #2C# | 3D | b5E | ||
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
String 1: C#5 at fret 9 (#2), D5 at fret 10 (3), E5 at fret 12 (b5).
String 2: G#4 at fret 9 (b7), A#4 at fret 11 (root), B4 at fret 12 (b2).
String 3: E4 at fret 9 (b5), F#4 at fret 11 (#5).
String 4: A#3 at fret 8 (root), B3 at fret 9 (b2), C#4 at fret 11 (#2), D4 at fret 12 (3).
String 5: F#3 at fret 9 (#5), G#3 at fret 11 (b7).
String 6: C#3 at fret 9 (#2), D3 at fret 10 (3), E3 at fret 12 (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# → B → C# → D → E → 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 B (b2), C# (#2), E (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 6–10), 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.