B Altered Scale Charts
Explore B Altered across the full guitar fretboard and 7 connected positions. Notes: B, C, D, D#, F, G, A. Intervals: 1, b2, #2, 3, b5, #5, b7.
B Altered full fretboard chart
B Altered uses B, C, D, D#, F, G, A across frets 0-15.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b5F | #5G | b7A | RB | b2C | #2D | 3D# | b5F | #5G | |||||||
| 2B | RB | b2C | #2D | 3D# | b5F | #5G | b7A | RB | b2C | #2D | ||||||
| 3G | #5G | b7A | RB | b2C | #2D | 3D# | b5F | #5G | b7A | |||||||
| 4D | #2D | 3D# | b5F | #5G | b7A | RB | b2C | #2D | 3D# | b5F | ||||||
| 5A | b7A | RB | b2C | #2D | 3D# | b5F | #5G | b7A | RB | b2C | ||||||
| 6E | b5F | #5G | b7A | RB | b2C | #2D | 3D# | b5F | #5G | |||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
String 1: F4 at fret 1 (b5), G4 at fret 3 (#5), A4 at fret 5 (b7), B4 at fret 7 (root), C5 at fret 8 (b2), D5 at fret 10 (#2), D#5 at fret 11 (3), F5 at fret 13 (b5), G5 at fret 15 (#5).
String 2: B3 at fret 0 (root), C4 at fret 1 (b2), D4 at fret 3 (#2), D#4 at fret 4 (3), F4 at fret 6 (b5), G4 at fret 8 (#5), A4 at fret 10 (b7), B4 at fret 12 (root), C5 at fret 13 (b2), D5 at fret 15 (#2).
String 3: G3 at fret 0 (#5), A3 at fret 2 (b7), B3 at fret 4 (root), C4 at fret 5 (b2), D4 at fret 7 (#2), D#4 at fret 8 (3), F4 at fret 10 (b5), G4 at fret 12 (#5), A4 at fret 14 (b7).
String 4: D3 at fret 0 (#2), D#3 at fret 1 (3), F3 at fret 3 (b5), G3 at fret 5 (#5), A3 at fret 7 (b7), B3 at fret 9 (root), C4 at fret 10 (b2), D4 at fret 12 (#2), D#4 at fret 13 (3), F4 at fret 15 (b5).
String 5: A2 at fret 0 (b7), B2 at fret 2 (root), C3 at fret 3 (b2), D3 at fret 5 (#2), D#3 at fret 6 (3), F3 at fret 8 (b5), G3 at fret 10 (#5), A3 at fret 12 (b7), B3 at fret 14 (root), C4 at fret 15 (b2).
String 6: F2 at fret 1 (b5), G2 at fret 3 (#5), A2 at fret 5 (b7), B2 at fret 7 (root), C3 at fret 8 (b2), D3 at fret 10 (#2), D#3 at fret 11 (3), F3 at fret 13 (b5), G3 at fret 15 (#5).
B Altered Position 1 chart
Position 1 covers frets 7-11 for B Altered.
| String | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | RB | b2C | #2D | 3D# | |
| 2B | #5G | b7A | |||
| 3G | #2D | 3D# | b5F | ||
| 4D | b7A | RB | b2C | ||
| 5A | b5F | #5G | |||
| 6E | RB | b2C | #2D | 3D# | |
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
String 1: B4 at fret 7 (root), C5 at fret 8 (b2), D5 at fret 10 (#2), D#5 at fret 11 (3).
String 2: G4 at fret 8 (#5), A4 at fret 10 (b7).
String 3: D4 at fret 7 (#2), D#4 at fret 8 (3), F4 at fret 10 (b5).
String 4: A3 at fret 7 (b7), B3 at fret 9 (root), C4 at fret 10 (b2).
String 5: F3 at fret 8 (b5), G3 at fret 10 (#5).
String 6: B2 at fret 7 (root), C3 at fret 8 (b2), D3 at fret 10 (#2), D#3 at fret 11 (3).
B Altered Position 2 chart
Position 2 covers frets 5-9 for B Altered.
| String | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b7A | RB | b2C | ||
| 2B | b5F | #5G | |||
| 3G | b2C | #2D | 3D# | ||
| 4D | #5G | b7A | RB | ||
| 5A | #2D | 3D# | b5F | ||
| 6E | b7A | RB | b2C | ||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
String 1: A4 at fret 5 (b7), B4 at fret 7 (root), C5 at fret 8 (b2).
String 2: F4 at fret 6 (b5), G4 at fret 8 (#5).
String 3: C4 at fret 5 (b2), D4 at fret 7 (#2), D#4 at fret 8 (3).
String 4: G3 at fret 5 (#5), A3 at fret 7 (b7), B3 at fret 9 (root).
String 5: D3 at fret 5 (#2), D#3 at fret 6 (3), F3 at fret 8 (b5).
String 6: A2 at fret 5 (b7), B2 at fret 7 (root), C3 at fret 8 (b2).
B Altered Position 3 chart
Position 3 covers frets 4-8 for B Altered.
| String | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b7A | RB | b2C | ||
| 2B | 3D# | b5F | #5G | ||
| 3G | RB | b2C | #2D | ||
| 4D | #5G | b7A | |||
| 5A | #2D | 3D# | b5F | ||
| 6E | b7A | RB | b2C | ||
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
String 1: A4 at fret 5 (b7), B4 at fret 7 (root), C5 at fret 8 (b2).
String 2: D#4 at fret 4 (3), F4 at fret 6 (b5), G4 at fret 8 (#5).
String 3: B3 at fret 4 (root), C4 at fret 5 (b2), D4 at fret 7 (#2).
String 4: G3 at fret 5 (#5), A3 at fret 7 (b7).
String 5: D3 at fret 5 (#2), D#3 at fret 6 (3), F3 at fret 8 (b5).
String 6: A2 at fret 5 (b7), B2 at fret 7 (root), C3 at fret 8 (b2).
B Altered Position 4 chart
Position 4 covers frets 2-6 for B Altered.
| String | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | #5G | b7A | |||
| 2B | #2D | 3D# | b5F | ||
| 3G | b7A | RB | b2C | ||
| 4D | b5F | #5G | |||
| 5A | RB | b2C | #2D | 3D# | |
| 6E | #5G | b7A | |||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
String 1: G4 at fret 3 (#5), A4 at fret 5 (b7).
String 2: D4 at fret 3 (#2), D#4 at fret 4 (3), F4 at fret 6 (b5).
String 3: A3 at fret 2 (b7), B3 at fret 4 (root), C4 at fret 5 (b2).
String 4: F3 at fret 3 (b5), G3 at fret 5 (#5).
String 5: B2 at fret 2 (root), C3 at fret 3 (b2), D3 at fret 5 (#2), D#3 at fret 6 (3).
String 6: G2 at fret 3 (#5), A2 at fret 5 (b7).
B Altered Position 5 chart
Position 5 covers frets 0-4 for B Altered.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b5F | #5G | |||
| 2B | b2C | #2D | 3D# | ||
| 3G | #5G | b7A | RB | ||
| 4D | #2D | 3D# | b5F | ||
| 5A | b7A | RB | b2C | ||
| 6E | b5F | #5G | |||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
String 1: F4 at fret 1 (b5), G4 at fret 3 (#5).
String 2: C4 at fret 1 (b2), D4 at fret 3 (#2), D#4 at fret 4 (3).
String 3: G3 at fret 0 (#5), A3 at fret 2 (b7), B3 at fret 4 (root).
String 4: D3 at fret 0 (#2), D#3 at fret 1 (3), F3 at fret 3 (b5).
String 5: A2 at fret 0 (b7), B2 at fret 2 (root), C3 at fret 3 (b2).
String 6: F2 at fret 1 (b5), G2 at fret 3 (#5).
B Altered Position 6 chart
Position 6 covers frets 11-15 for B Altered.
| String | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 3D# | b5F | #5G | ||
| 2B | RB | b2C | #2D | ||
| 3G | #5G | b7A | |||
| 4D | #2D | 3D# | b5F | ||
| 5A | b7A | RB | b2C | ||
| 6E | 3D# | b5F | #5G | ||
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
String 1: D#5 at fret 11 (3), F5 at fret 13 (b5), G5 at fret 15 (#5).
String 2: B4 at fret 12 (root), C5 at fret 13 (b2), D5 at fret 15 (#2).
String 3: G4 at fret 12 (#5), A4 at fret 14 (b7).
String 4: D4 at fret 12 (#2), D#4 at fret 13 (3), F4 at fret 15 (b5).
String 5: A3 at fret 12 (b7), B3 at fret 14 (root), C4 at fret 15 (b2).
String 6: D#3 at fret 11 (3), F3 at fret 13 (b5), G3 at fret 15 (#5).
B Altered Position 7 chart
Position 7 covers frets 9-13 for B Altered.
| String | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | #2D | 3D# | b5F | ||
| 2B | b7A | RB | b2C | ||
| 3G | b5F | #5G | |||
| 4D | RB | b2C | #2D | 3D# | |
| 5A | #5G | b7A | |||
| 6E | #2D | 3D# | b5F | ||
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
String 1: D5 at fret 10 (#2), D#5 at fret 11 (3), F5 at fret 13 (b5).
String 2: A4 at fret 10 (b7), B4 at fret 12 (root), C5 at fret 13 (b2).
String 3: F4 at fret 10 (b5), G4 at fret 12 (#5).
String 4: B3 at fret 9 (root), C4 at fret 10 (b2), D4 at fret 12 (#2), D#4 at fret 13 (3).
String 5: G3 at fret 10 (#5), A3 at fret 12 (b7).
String 6: D3 at fret 10 (#2), D#3 at fret 11 (3), F3 at fret 13 (b5).
Altered scale essentials
- Interval formula
- 1 · b2 · #2 · 3 · b5 · #5 · b7
- Characteristic tones
- b2 · #2 · b5 · #5
Practice the B Altered sound
- Say and play the scale: Play B → C → D → D# → F → G → A → B up and back down, naming the degrees 1 → b2 → #2 → 3 → b5 → #5 → b7 → 1 as you go.
- Hear its defining tones: pause on C (b2), D (#2), F (b5), G (#5) before landing on B. Listen for how those characteristic tones color the phrase.
- Connect the positions: Work through all 7 position charts. Start in Position 1 (frets 7–11), then repeat a short phrase from the root in each shape. Use the full fretboard chart to find the next B as you move between positions.
Continue with this scale
Take Altered into the matching course and practice resources.