C♯ Altered Scale (Superlocrian) on Guitar

The C♯ Altered Scale (Superlocrian) is a 7-note scale (over altered dominant chords (7alt)) built from the formula 1 ♭2 ♭3 ♭4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7. Its notes are C♯ D E F G A B. Below you'll find the scale on the whole fretboard, the chords that belong to it and related scales — open it in the interactive fretboard for 3NPS, CAGED and pentatonic box patterns with playback.

Notes and intervals

DegreeNoteInterval
1C♯root
♭2DMinor 2nd
♭3EMinor 3rd
♭4FDiminished 4th
♭5GDiminished 5th (tritone)
♭6AMinor 6th
♭7BMinor 7th

Steps: H – W – H – W – W – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step)

C♯ Altered Scale (Superlocrian) on the fretboard (15 frets)

C♯ Altered Scale (Superlocrian) – guitar fretboardEADGBEE♭3F♭4G♭5A♭6B♭7C♯1D♭2E♭3F♭4G♭5A♭6B♭7C♯1D♭2E♭3F♭4G♭5A♭6B♭7D♭2E♭3F♭4G♭5A♭6B♭7C♯1D♭2E♭3F♭4G♭5A♭6B♭7C♯1D♭2E♭3F♭4G♭5A♭6B♭7C♯1D♭2E♭3F♭4G♭5A♭6B♭7C♯1D♭2E♭3F♭4G♭5A♭6B♭7C♯1D♭2E♭3F♭4G♭5123456789101112131415

Standard tuning E A D G B E. Pink = root, purple = characteristic notes. 3NPS, CAGED and box patterns plus other tunings are in the interactive fretboard.

Chords in the scale

Other scales from C♯

Altered (Superlocrian) in other keys

FAQ

What notes are in the C♯ Altered Scale (Superlocrian)?
The C♯ Altered Scale (Superlocrian) has 7 notes: C♯, D, E, F, G, A, B. Its formula is 1 ♭2 ♭3 ♭4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7.
What intervals make up the C♯ Altered Scale (Superlocrian)?
Step pattern: H – W – H – W – W – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step). Intervals from the root: ♭2 (Minor 2nd), ♭3 (Minor 3rd), ♭4 (Diminished 4th), ♭5 (Diminished 5th (tritone)), ♭6 (Minor 6th), ♭7 (Minor 7th).
What chords are in the C♯ Altered Scale (Superlocrian)?
Triads: C♯°, Dm, Em, F+, G, A, B°. Seventh chords: C♯m7♭5, Dm(maj7), Em7, Fmaj7♯5, G7, A7, Bm7♭5.