E Altered Scale Charts
Explore E Altered across the full guitar fretboard and 7 connected positions. Notes: E, F, G, G#, A#, C, D. Intervals: 1, b2, #2, 3, b5, #5, b7.
E Altered full fretboard chart
E Altered uses E, F, G, G#, A#, C, D across frets 0-15.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | RE | b2F | #2G | 3G# | b5A# | #5C | b7D | RE | b2F | #2G | ||||||
| 2B | #5C | b7D | RE | b2F | #2G | 3G# | b5A# | #5C | b7D | |||||||
| 3G | #2G | 3G# | b5A# | #5C | b7D | RE | b2F | #2G | 3G# | b5A# | ||||||
| 4D | b7D | RE | b2F | #2G | 3G# | b5A# | #5C | b7D | RE | b2F | ||||||
| 5A | b5A# | #5C | b7D | RE | b2F | #2G | 3G# | b5A# | #5C | |||||||
| 6E | RE | b2F | #2G | 3G# | b5A# | #5C | b7D | RE | b2F | #2G | ||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
String 1: E4 at fret 0 (root), F4 at fret 1 (b2), G4 at fret 3 (#2), G#4 at fret 4 (3), A#4 at fret 6 (b5), C5 at fret 8 (#5), D5 at fret 10 (b7), E5 at fret 12 (root), F5 at fret 13 (b2), G5 at fret 15 (#2).
String 2: C4 at fret 1 (#5), D4 at fret 3 (b7), E4 at fret 5 (root), F4 at fret 6 (b2), G4 at fret 8 (#2), G#4 at fret 9 (3), A#4 at fret 11 (b5), C5 at fret 13 (#5), D5 at fret 15 (b7).
String 3: G3 at fret 0 (#2), G#3 at fret 1 (3), A#3 at fret 3 (b5), C4 at fret 5 (#5), D4 at fret 7 (b7), E4 at fret 9 (root), F4 at fret 10 (b2), G4 at fret 12 (#2), G#4 at fret 13 (3), A#4 at fret 15 (b5).
String 4: D3 at fret 0 (b7), E3 at fret 2 (root), F3 at fret 3 (b2), G3 at fret 5 (#2), G#3 at fret 6 (3), A#3 at fret 8 (b5), C4 at fret 10 (#5), D4 at fret 12 (b7), E4 at fret 14 (root), F4 at fret 15 (b2).
String 5: A#2 at fret 1 (b5), C3 at fret 3 (#5), D3 at fret 5 (b7), E3 at fret 7 (root), F3 at fret 8 (b2), G3 at fret 10 (#2), G#3 at fret 11 (3), A#3 at fret 13 (b5), C4 at fret 15 (#5).
String 6: E2 at fret 0 (root), F2 at fret 1 (b2), G2 at fret 3 (#2), G#2 at fret 4 (3), A#2 at fret 6 (b5), C3 at fret 8 (#5), D3 at fret 10 (b7), E3 at fret 12 (root), F3 at fret 13 (b2), G3 at fret 15 (#2).
E Altered Position 1 chart
Position 1 covers frets 0-4 for E Altered.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | RE | b2F | #2G | 3G# | |
| 2B | #5C | b7D | |||
| 3G | #2G | 3G# | b5A# | ||
| 4D | b7D | RE | b2F | ||
| 5A | b5A# | #5C | |||
| 6E | RE | b2F | #2G | 3G# | |
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
String 1: E4 at fret 0 (root), F4 at fret 1 (b2), G4 at fret 3 (#2), G#4 at fret 4 (3).
String 2: C4 at fret 1 (#5), D4 at fret 3 (b7).
String 3: G3 at fret 0 (#2), G#3 at fret 1 (3), A#3 at fret 3 (b5).
String 4: D3 at fret 0 (b7), E3 at fret 2 (root), F3 at fret 3 (b2).
String 5: A#2 at fret 1 (b5), C3 at fret 3 (#5).
String 6: E2 at fret 0 (root), F2 at fret 1 (b2), G2 at fret 3 (#2), G#2 at fret 4 (3).
E Altered Position 2 chart
Position 2 covers frets 10-14 for E Altered.
| String | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b7D | RE | b2F | ||
| 2B | b5A# | #5C | |||
| 3G | b2F | #2G | 3G# | ||
| 4D | #5C | b7D | RE | ||
| 5A | #2G | 3G# | b5A# | ||
| 6E | b7D | RE | b2F | ||
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
String 1: D5 at fret 10 (b7), E5 at fret 12 (root), F5 at fret 13 (b2).
String 2: A#4 at fret 11 (b5), C5 at fret 13 (#5).
String 3: F4 at fret 10 (b2), G4 at fret 12 (#2), G#4 at fret 13 (3).
String 4: C4 at fret 10 (#5), D4 at fret 12 (b7), E4 at fret 14 (root).
String 5: G3 at fret 10 (#2), G#3 at fret 11 (3), A#3 at fret 13 (b5).
String 6: D3 at fret 10 (b7), E3 at fret 12 (root), F3 at fret 13 (b2).
E Altered Position 3 chart
Position 3 covers frets 9-13 for E Altered.
| String | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b7D | RE | b2F | ||
| 2B | 3G# | b5A# | #5C | ||
| 3G | RE | b2F | #2G | ||
| 4D | #5C | b7D | |||
| 5A | #2G | 3G# | b5A# | ||
| 6E | b7D | RE | b2F | ||
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
String 1: D5 at fret 10 (b7), E5 at fret 12 (root), F5 at fret 13 (b2).
String 2: G#4 at fret 9 (3), A#4 at fret 11 (b5), C5 at fret 13 (#5).
String 3: E4 at fret 9 (root), F4 at fret 10 (b2), G4 at fret 12 (#2).
String 4: C4 at fret 10 (#5), D4 at fret 12 (b7).
String 5: G3 at fret 10 (#2), G#3 at fret 11 (3), A#3 at fret 13 (b5).
String 6: D3 at fret 10 (b7), E3 at fret 12 (root), F3 at fret 13 (b2).
E Altered Position 4 chart
Position 4 covers frets 7-11 for E Altered.
| String | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | #5C | b7D | |||
| 2B | #2G | 3G# | b5A# | ||
| 3G | b7D | RE | b2F | ||
| 4D | b5A# | #5C | |||
| 5A | RE | b2F | #2G | 3G# | |
| 6E | #5C | b7D | |||
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
String 1: C5 at fret 8 (#5), D5 at fret 10 (b7).
String 2: G4 at fret 8 (#2), G#4 at fret 9 (3), A#4 at fret 11 (b5).
String 3: D4 at fret 7 (b7), E4 at fret 9 (root), F4 at fret 10 (b2).
String 4: A#3 at fret 8 (b5), C4 at fret 10 (#5).
String 5: E3 at fret 7 (root), F3 at fret 8 (b2), G3 at fret 10 (#2), G#3 at fret 11 (3).
String 6: C3 at fret 8 (#5), D3 at fret 10 (b7).
E Altered Position 5 chart
Position 5 covers frets 5-9 for E Altered.
| String | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b5A# | #5C | |||
| 2B | b2F | #2G | 3G# | ||
| 3G | #5C | b7D | RE | ||
| 4D | #2G | 3G# | b5A# | ||
| 5A | b7D | RE | b2F | ||
| 6E | b5A# | #5C | |||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
String 1: A#4 at fret 6 (b5), C5 at fret 8 (#5).
String 2: F4 at fret 6 (b2), G4 at fret 8 (#2), G#4 at fret 9 (3).
String 3: C4 at fret 5 (#5), D4 at fret 7 (b7), E4 at fret 9 (root).
String 4: G3 at fret 5 (#2), G#3 at fret 6 (3), A#3 at fret 8 (b5).
String 5: D3 at fret 5 (b7), E3 at fret 7 (root), F3 at fret 8 (b2).
String 6: A#2 at fret 6 (b5), C3 at fret 8 (#5).
E Altered Position 6 chart
Position 6 covers frets 4-8 for E Altered.
| String | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 3G# | b5A# | #5C | ||
| 2B | RE | b2F | #2G | ||
| 3G | #5C | b7D | |||
| 4D | #2G | 3G# | b5A# | ||
| 5A | b7D | RE | b2F | ||
| 6E | 3G# | b5A# | #5C | ||
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
String 1: G#4 at fret 4 (3), A#4 at fret 6 (b5), C5 at fret 8 (#5).
String 2: E4 at fret 5 (root), F4 at fret 6 (b2), G4 at fret 8 (#2).
String 3: C4 at fret 5 (#5), D4 at fret 7 (b7).
String 4: G3 at fret 5 (#2), G#3 at fret 6 (3), A#3 at fret 8 (b5).
String 5: D3 at fret 5 (b7), E3 at fret 7 (root), F3 at fret 8 (b2).
String 6: G#2 at fret 4 (3), A#2 at fret 6 (b5), C3 at fret 8 (#5).
E Altered Position 7 chart
Position 7 covers frets 2-6 for E Altered.
| String | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | #2G | 3G# | b5A# | ||
| 2B | b7D | RE | b2F | ||
| 3G | b5A# | #5C | |||
| 4D | RE | b2F | #2G | 3G# | |
| 5A | #5C | b7D | |||
| 6E | #2G | 3G# | b5A# | ||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
String 1: G4 at fret 3 (#2), G#4 at fret 4 (3), A#4 at fret 6 (b5).
String 2: D4 at fret 3 (b7), E4 at fret 5 (root), F4 at fret 6 (b2).
String 3: A#3 at fret 3 (b5), C4 at fret 5 (#5).
String 4: E3 at fret 2 (root), F3 at fret 3 (b2), G3 at fret 5 (#2), G#3 at fret 6 (3).
String 5: C3 at fret 3 (#5), D3 at fret 5 (b7).
String 6: G2 at fret 3 (#2), G#2 at fret 4 (3), A#2 at fret 6 (b5).
Altered scale essentials
- Interval formula
- 1 · b2 · #2 · 3 · b5 · #5 · b7
- Characteristic tones
- b2 · #2 · b5 · #5
Practice the E Altered sound
- Say and play the scale: Play E → F → G → G# → A# → C → D → E up and back down, naming the degrees 1 → b2 → #2 → 3 → b5 → #5 → b7 → 1 as you go.
- Hear its defining tones: pause on F (b2), G (#2), A# (b5), C (#5) before landing on E. Listen for how those characteristic tones color the phrase.
- Connect the positions: Work through all 7 position charts. Start in Position 1 (frets 0–4), then repeat a short phrase from the root in each shape. Use the full fretboard chart to find the next E as you move between positions.
Continue with this scale
Take Altered into the matching course and practice resources.