C Altered Scale Charts
Explore C Altered across the full guitar fretboard and 7 connected positions. Notes: C, C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A#. Intervals: 1, b2, #2, 3, b5, #5, b7.
C Altered full fretboard chart
C Altered uses C, C#, D#, E, 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 | 3E | b5F# | #5G# | b7A# | RC | b2C# | #2D# | 3E | b5F# | |||||||
| 2B | RC | b2C# | #2D# | 3E | b5F# | #5G# | b7A# | RC | b2C# | |||||||
| 3G | #5G# | b7A# | RC | b2C# | #2D# | 3E | b5F# | #5G# | b7A# | |||||||
| 4D | #2D# | 3E | b5F# | #5G# | b7A# | RC | b2C# | #2D# | 3E | |||||||
| 5A | b7A# | RC | b2C# | #2D# | 3E | b5F# | #5G# | b7A# | RC | |||||||
| 6E | 3E | b5F# | #5G# | b7A# | RC | b2C# | #2D# | 3E | b5F# | |||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
String 1: E4 at fret 0 (3), F#4 at fret 2 (b5), G#4 at fret 4 (#5), A#4 at fret 6 (b7), C5 at fret 8 (root), C#5 at fret 9 (b2), D#5 at fret 11 (#2), E5 at fret 12 (3), F#5 at fret 14 (b5).
String 2: C4 at fret 1 (root), C#4 at fret 2 (b2), D#4 at fret 4 (#2), E4 at fret 5 (3), F#4 at fret 7 (b5), G#4 at fret 9 (#5), A#4 at fret 11 (b7), C5 at fret 13 (root), C#5 at fret 14 (b2).
String 3: G#3 at fret 1 (#5), A#3 at fret 3 (b7), C4 at fret 5 (root), C#4 at fret 6 (b2), D#4 at fret 8 (#2), E4 at fret 9 (3), F#4 at fret 11 (b5), G#4 at fret 13 (#5), A#4 at fret 15 (b7).
String 4: D#3 at fret 1 (#2), E3 at fret 2 (3), F#3 at fret 4 (b5), G#3 at fret 6 (#5), A#3 at fret 8 (b7), C4 at fret 10 (root), C#4 at fret 11 (b2), D#4 at fret 13 (#2), E4 at fret 14 (3).
String 5: A#2 at fret 1 (b7), C3 at fret 3 (root), C#3 at fret 4 (b2), D#3 at fret 6 (#2), E3 at fret 7 (3), F#3 at fret 9 (b5), G#3 at fret 11 (#5), A#3 at fret 13 (b7), C4 at fret 15 (root).
String 6: E2 at fret 0 (3), F#2 at fret 2 (b5), G#2 at fret 4 (#5), A#2 at fret 6 (b7), C3 at fret 8 (root), C#3 at fret 9 (b2), D#3 at fret 11 (#2), E3 at fret 12 (3), F#3 at fret 14 (b5).
C Altered Position 1 chart
Position 1 covers frets 8-12 for C Altered.
| String | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | RC | b2C# | #2D# | 3E | |
| 2B | #5G# | b7A# | |||
| 3G | #2D# | 3E | b5F# | ||
| 4D | b7A# | RC | b2C# | ||
| 5A | b5F# | #5G# | |||
| 6E | RC | b2C# | #2D# | 3E | |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
String 1: C5 at fret 8 (root), C#5 at fret 9 (b2), D#5 at fret 11 (#2), E5 at fret 12 (3).
String 2: G#4 at fret 9 (#5), A#4 at fret 11 (b7).
String 3: D#4 at fret 8 (#2), E4 at fret 9 (3), F#4 at fret 11 (b5).
String 4: A#3 at fret 8 (b7), C4 at fret 10 (root), C#4 at fret 11 (b2).
String 5: F#3 at fret 9 (b5), G#3 at fret 11 (#5).
String 6: C3 at fret 8 (root), C#3 at fret 9 (b2), D#3 at fret 11 (#2), E3 at fret 12 (3).
C Altered Position 2 chart
Position 2 covers frets 6-10 for C Altered.
| String | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b7A# | RC | b2C# | ||
| 2B | b5F# | #5G# | |||
| 3G | b2C# | #2D# | 3E | ||
| 4D | #5G# | b7A# | RC | ||
| 5A | #2D# | 3E | b5F# | ||
| 6E | b7A# | RC | b2C# | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
String 1: A#4 at fret 6 (b7), C5 at fret 8 (root), C#5 at fret 9 (b2).
String 2: F#4 at fret 7 (b5), G#4 at fret 9 (#5).
String 3: C#4 at fret 6 (b2), D#4 at fret 8 (#2), E4 at fret 9 (3).
String 4: G#3 at fret 6 (#5), A#3 at fret 8 (b7), C4 at fret 10 (root).
String 5: D#3 at fret 6 (#2), E3 at fret 7 (3), F#3 at fret 9 (b5).
String 6: A#2 at fret 6 (b7), C3 at fret 8 (root), C#3 at fret 9 (b2).
C Altered Position 3 chart
Position 3 covers frets 5-9 for C Altered.
| String | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b7A# | RC | b2C# | ||
| 2B | 3E | b5F# | #5G# | ||
| 3G | RC | b2C# | #2D# | ||
| 4D | #5G# | b7A# | |||
| 5A | #2D# | 3E | b5F# | ||
| 6E | b7A# | RC | b2C# | ||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
String 1: A#4 at fret 6 (b7), C5 at fret 8 (root), C#5 at fret 9 (b2).
String 2: E4 at fret 5 (3), F#4 at fret 7 (b5), G#4 at fret 9 (#5).
String 3: C4 at fret 5 (root), C#4 at fret 6 (b2), D#4 at fret 8 (#2).
String 4: G#3 at fret 6 (#5), A#3 at fret 8 (b7).
String 5: D#3 at fret 6 (#2), E3 at fret 7 (3), F#3 at fret 9 (b5).
String 6: A#2 at fret 6 (b7), C3 at fret 8 (root), C#3 at fret 9 (b2).
C Altered Position 4 chart
Position 4 covers frets 3-7 for C Altered.
| String | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | #5G# | b7A# | |||
| 2B | #2D# | 3E | b5F# | ||
| 3G | b7A# | RC | b2C# | ||
| 4D | b5F# | #5G# | |||
| 5A | RC | b2C# | #2D# | 3E | |
| 6E | #5G# | b7A# | |||
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
String 1: G#4 at fret 4 (#5), A#4 at fret 6 (b7).
String 2: D#4 at fret 4 (#2), E4 at fret 5 (3), F#4 at fret 7 (b5).
String 3: A#3 at fret 3 (b7), C4 at fret 5 (root), C#4 at fret 6 (b2).
String 4: F#3 at fret 4 (b5), G#3 at fret 6 (#5).
String 5: C3 at fret 3 (root), C#3 at fret 4 (b2), D#3 at fret 6 (#2), E3 at fret 7 (3).
String 6: G#2 at fret 4 (#5), A#2 at fret 6 (b7).
C Altered Position 5 chart
Position 5 covers frets 1-5 for C Altered.
| String | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b5F# | #5G# | |||
| 2B | b2C# | #2D# | 3E | ||
| 3G | #5G# | b7A# | RC | ||
| 4D | #2D# | 3E | b5F# | ||
| 5A | b7A# | RC | b2C# | ||
| 6E | b5F# | #5G# | |||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
String 1: F#4 at fret 2 (b5), G#4 at fret 4 (#5).
String 2: C#4 at fret 2 (b2), D#4 at fret 4 (#2), E4 at fret 5 (3).
String 3: G#3 at fret 1 (#5), A#3 at fret 3 (b7), C4 at fret 5 (root).
String 4: D#3 at fret 1 (#2), E3 at fret 2 (3), F#3 at fret 4 (b5).
String 5: A#2 at fret 1 (b7), C3 at fret 3 (root), C#3 at fret 4 (b2).
String 6: F#2 at fret 2 (b5), G#2 at fret 4 (#5).
C Altered Position 6 chart
Position 6 covers frets 0-4 for C Altered.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 3E | b5F# | #5G# | ||
| 2B | RC | b2C# | #2D# | ||
| 3G | #5G# | b7A# | |||
| 4D | #2D# | 3E | b5F# | ||
| 5A | b7A# | RC | b2C# | ||
| 6E | 3E | b5F# | #5G# | ||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
String 1: E4 at fret 0 (3), F#4 at fret 2 (b5), G#4 at fret 4 (#5).
String 2: C4 at fret 1 (root), C#4 at fret 2 (b2), D#4 at fret 4 (#2).
String 3: G#3 at fret 1 (#5), A#3 at fret 3 (b7).
String 4: D#3 at fret 1 (#2), E3 at fret 2 (3), F#3 at fret 4 (b5).
String 5: A#2 at fret 1 (b7), C3 at fret 3 (root), C#3 at fret 4 (b2).
String 6: E2 at fret 0 (3), F#2 at fret 2 (b5), G#2 at fret 4 (#5).
C Altered Position 7 chart
Position 7 covers frets 10-14 for C Altered.
| String | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | #2D# | 3E | b5F# | ||
| 2B | b7A# | RC | b2C# | ||
| 3G | b5F# | #5G# | |||
| 4D | RC | b2C# | #2D# | 3E | |
| 5A | #5G# | b7A# | |||
| 6E | #2D# | 3E | b5F# | ||
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
String 1: D#5 at fret 11 (#2), E5 at fret 12 (3), F#5 at fret 14 (b5).
String 2: A#4 at fret 11 (b7), C5 at fret 13 (root), C#5 at fret 14 (b2).
String 3: F#4 at fret 11 (b5), G#4 at fret 13 (#5).
String 4: C4 at fret 10 (root), C#4 at fret 11 (b2), D#4 at fret 13 (#2), E4 at fret 14 (3).
String 5: G#3 at fret 11 (#5), A#3 at fret 13 (b7).
String 6: D#3 at fret 11 (#2), E3 at fret 12 (3), F#3 at fret 14 (b5).
Altered scale essentials
- Interval formula
- 1 · b2 · #2 · 3 · b5 · #5 · b7
- Characteristic tones
- b2 · #2 · b5 · #5
Practice the C Altered sound
- Say and play the scale: Play C → C# → D# → E → F# → G# → A# → C 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 C. Listen for how those characteristic tones color the phrase.
- Connect the positions: Work through all 7 position charts. Start in Position 1 (frets 8–12), then repeat a short phrase from the root in each shape. Use the full fretboard chart to find the next C as you move between positions.
Continue with this scale
Take Altered into the matching course and practice resources.