D# Altered Scale Charts
Explore D# Altered across the full guitar fretboard and 7 connected positions. Notes: D#, E, F#, G, A, B, C#. Intervals: 1, b2, #2, 3, b5, #5, b7.
D# Altered full fretboard chart
D# Altered uses D#, E, F#, G, A, B, C# across frets 0-15.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b2E | #2F# | 3G | b5A | #5B | b7C# | RD# | b2E | #2F# | 3G | ||||||
| 2B | #5B | b7C# | RD# | b2E | #2F# | 3G | b5A | #5B | b7C# | |||||||
| 3G | 3G | b5A | #5B | b7C# | RD# | b2E | #2F# | 3G | b5A | |||||||
| 4D | RD# | b2E | #2F# | 3G | b5A | #5B | b7C# | RD# | b2E | |||||||
| 5A | b5A | #5B | b7C# | RD# | b2E | #2F# | 3G | b5A | #5B | |||||||
| 6E | b2E | #2F# | 3G | b5A | #5B | b7C# | RD# | b2E | #2F# | 3G | ||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
String 1: E4 at fret 0 (b2), F#4 at fret 2 (#2), G4 at fret 3 (3), A4 at fret 5 (b5), B4 at fret 7 (#5), C#5 at fret 9 (b7), D#5 at fret 11 (root), E5 at fret 12 (b2), F#5 at fret 14 (#2), G5 at fret 15 (3).
String 2: B3 at fret 0 (#5), C#4 at fret 2 (b7), D#4 at fret 4 (root), E4 at fret 5 (b2), F#4 at fret 7 (#2), G4 at fret 8 (3), A4 at fret 10 (b5), B4 at fret 12 (#5), C#5 at fret 14 (b7).
String 3: G3 at fret 0 (3), A3 at fret 2 (b5), B3 at fret 4 (#5), C#4 at fret 6 (b7), D#4 at fret 8 (root), E4 at fret 9 (b2), F#4 at fret 11 (#2), G4 at fret 12 (3), A4 at fret 14 (b5).
String 4: D#3 at fret 1 (root), E3 at fret 2 (b2), F#3 at fret 4 (#2), G3 at fret 5 (3), A3 at fret 7 (b5), B3 at fret 9 (#5), C#4 at fret 11 (b7), D#4 at fret 13 (root), E4 at fret 14 (b2).
String 5: A2 at fret 0 (b5), B2 at fret 2 (#5), C#3 at fret 4 (b7), D#3 at fret 6 (root), E3 at fret 7 (b2), F#3 at fret 9 (#2), G3 at fret 10 (3), A3 at fret 12 (b5), B3 at fret 14 (#5).
String 6: E2 at fret 0 (b2), F#2 at fret 2 (#2), G2 at fret 3 (3), A2 at fret 5 (b5), B2 at fret 7 (#5), C#3 at fret 9 (b7), D#3 at fret 11 (root), E3 at fret 12 (b2), F#3 at fret 14 (#2), G3 at fret 15 (3).
D# Altered Position 1 chart
Position 1 covers frets 11-15 for D# Altered.
| String | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | RD# | b2E | #2F# | 3G | |
| 2B | #5B | b7C# | |||
| 3G | #2F# | 3G | b5A | ||
| 4D | b7C# | RD# | b2E | ||
| 5A | b5A | #5B | |||
| 6E | RD# | b2E | #2F# | 3G | |
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
String 1: D#5 at fret 11 (root), E5 at fret 12 (b2), F#5 at fret 14 (#2), G5 at fret 15 (3).
String 2: B4 at fret 12 (#5), C#5 at fret 14 (b7).
String 3: F#4 at fret 11 (#2), G4 at fret 12 (3), A4 at fret 14 (b5).
String 4: C#4 at fret 11 (b7), D#4 at fret 13 (root), E4 at fret 14 (b2).
String 5: A3 at fret 12 (b5), B3 at fret 14 (#5).
String 6: D#3 at fret 11 (root), E3 at fret 12 (b2), F#3 at fret 14 (#2), G3 at fret 15 (3).
D# Altered Position 2 chart
Position 2 covers frets 9-13 for D# Altered.
| String | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b7C# | RD# | b2E | ||
| 2B | b5A | #5B | |||
| 3G | b2E | #2F# | 3G | ||
| 4D | #5B | b7C# | RD# | ||
| 5A | #2F# | 3G | b5A | ||
| 6E | b7C# | RD# | b2E | ||
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
String 1: C#5 at fret 9 (b7), D#5 at fret 11 (root), E5 at fret 12 (b2).
String 2: A4 at fret 10 (b5), B4 at fret 12 (#5).
String 3: E4 at fret 9 (b2), F#4 at fret 11 (#2), G4 at fret 12 (3).
String 4: B3 at fret 9 (#5), C#4 at fret 11 (b7), D#4 at fret 13 (root).
String 5: F#3 at fret 9 (#2), G3 at fret 10 (3), A3 at fret 12 (b5).
String 6: C#3 at fret 9 (b7), D#3 at fret 11 (root), E3 at fret 12 (b2).
D# Altered Position 3 chart
Position 3 covers frets 8-12 for D# Altered.
| String | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b7C# | RD# | b2E | ||
| 2B | 3G | b5A | #5B | ||
| 3G | RD# | b2E | #2F# | ||
| 4D | #5B | b7C# | |||
| 5A | #2F# | 3G | b5A | ||
| 6E | b7C# | RD# | b2E | ||
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
String 1: C#5 at fret 9 (b7), D#5 at fret 11 (root), E5 at fret 12 (b2).
String 2: G4 at fret 8 (3), A4 at fret 10 (b5), B4 at fret 12 (#5).
String 3: D#4 at fret 8 (root), E4 at fret 9 (b2), F#4 at fret 11 (#2).
String 4: B3 at fret 9 (#5), C#4 at fret 11 (b7).
String 5: F#3 at fret 9 (#2), G3 at fret 10 (3), A3 at fret 12 (b5).
String 6: C#3 at fret 9 (b7), D#3 at fret 11 (root), E3 at fret 12 (b2).
D# Altered Position 4 chart
Position 4 covers frets 6-10 for D# Altered.
| String | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | #5B | b7C# | |||
| 2B | #2F# | 3G | b5A | ||
| 3G | b7C# | RD# | b2E | ||
| 4D | b5A | #5B | |||
| 5A | RD# | b2E | #2F# | 3G | |
| 6E | #5B | b7C# | |||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
String 1: B4 at fret 7 (#5), C#5 at fret 9 (b7).
String 2: F#4 at fret 7 (#2), G4 at fret 8 (3), A4 at fret 10 (b5).
String 3: C#4 at fret 6 (b7), D#4 at fret 8 (root), E4 at fret 9 (b2).
String 4: A3 at fret 7 (b5), B3 at fret 9 (#5).
String 5: D#3 at fret 6 (root), E3 at fret 7 (b2), F#3 at fret 9 (#2), G3 at fret 10 (3).
String 6: B2 at fret 7 (#5), C#3 at fret 9 (b7).
D# Altered Position 5 chart
Position 5 covers frets 4-8 for D# Altered.
| String | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b5A | #5B | |||
| 2B | b2E | #2F# | 3G | ||
| 3G | #5B | b7C# | RD# | ||
| 4D | #2F# | 3G | b5A | ||
| 5A | b7C# | RD# | b2E | ||
| 6E | b5A | #5B | |||
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
String 1: A4 at fret 5 (b5), B4 at fret 7 (#5).
String 2: E4 at fret 5 (b2), F#4 at fret 7 (#2), G4 at fret 8 (3).
String 3: B3 at fret 4 (#5), C#4 at fret 6 (b7), D#4 at fret 8 (root).
String 4: F#3 at fret 4 (#2), G3 at fret 5 (3), A3 at fret 7 (b5).
String 5: C#3 at fret 4 (b7), D#3 at fret 6 (root), E3 at fret 7 (b2).
String 6: A2 at fret 5 (b5), B2 at fret 7 (#5).
D# Altered Position 6 chart
Position 6 covers frets 3-7 for D# Altered.
| String | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 3G | b5A | #5B | ||
| 2B | RD# | b2E | #2F# | ||
| 3G | #5B | b7C# | |||
| 4D | #2F# | 3G | b5A | ||
| 5A | b7C# | RD# | b2E | ||
| 6E | 3G | b5A | #5B | ||
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
String 1: G4 at fret 3 (3), A4 at fret 5 (b5), B4 at fret 7 (#5).
String 2: D#4 at fret 4 (root), E4 at fret 5 (b2), F#4 at fret 7 (#2).
String 3: B3 at fret 4 (#5), C#4 at fret 6 (b7).
String 4: F#3 at fret 4 (#2), G3 at fret 5 (3), A3 at fret 7 (b5).
String 5: C#3 at fret 4 (b7), D#3 at fret 6 (root), E3 at fret 7 (b2).
String 6: G2 at fret 3 (3), A2 at fret 5 (b5), B2 at fret 7 (#5).
D# Altered Position 7 chart
Position 7 covers frets 1-5 for D# Altered.
| String | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | #2F# | 3G | b5A | ||
| 2B | b7C# | RD# | b2E | ||
| 3G | b5A | #5B | |||
| 4D | RD# | b2E | #2F# | 3G | |
| 5A | #5B | b7C# | |||
| 6E | #2F# | 3G | b5A | ||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
String 1: F#4 at fret 2 (#2), G4 at fret 3 (3), A4 at fret 5 (b5).
String 2: C#4 at fret 2 (b7), D#4 at fret 4 (root), E4 at fret 5 (b2).
String 3: A3 at fret 2 (b5), B3 at fret 4 (#5).
String 4: D#3 at fret 1 (root), E3 at fret 2 (b2), F#3 at fret 4 (#2), G3 at fret 5 (3).
String 5: B2 at fret 2 (#5), C#3 at fret 4 (b7).
String 6: F#2 at fret 2 (#2), G2 at fret 3 (3), A2 at fret 5 (b5).
Altered scale essentials
- Interval formula
- 1 · b2 · #2 · 3 · b5 · #5 · b7
- Characteristic tones
- b2 · #2 · b5 · #5
Practice the D# Altered sound
- Say and play the scale: Play D# → E → F# → G → A → B → C# → D# up and back down, naming the degrees 1 → b2 → #2 → 3 → b5 → #5 → b7 → 1 as you go.
- Hear its defining tones: pause on E (b2), F# (#2), A (b5), B (#5) before landing on D#. Listen for how those characteristic tones color the phrase.
- Connect the positions: Work through all 7 position charts. Start in Position 1 (frets 11–15), then repeat a short phrase from the root in each shape. Use the full fretboard chart to find the next D# as you move between positions.
Continue with this scale
Take Altered into the matching course and practice resources.