Notes in the D♯ Altered scale
| Degree | Note | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | D♯ | Tonic |
| ♭2 | E | Supertonic |
| ♭3 | F♯ | Mediant |
| ♭4 | G | Subdominant |
| ♭5 | A | Dominant |
| ♭6 | B | Submediant |
| ♭7 | C♯ | Subtonic |
Each note uses a different letter name, so the spelling follows the scale rather than the keyboard: D♯ E F♯ G A B C♯.
D♯ Altered scale formula
The pattern of steps from one note to the next is H – W – H – W – W – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step). Compared with the major scale the degrees are 1 ♭2 ♭3 ♭4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7.
Chords in the D♯ Altered scale
Stacking thirds on each note of the scale gives these chords:
| Degree | Triad | 7th chord |
|---|---|---|
| i° | D♯° | D♯ø7 |
| ii | Em | Em(maj7) |
| iii | F♯m | F♯m7 |
| IV+ | G+ | G7♯5 |
| V | A | A7 |
| VI | B | B7 |
| vii° | C♯° | C♯ø7 |
Chord names link to guitar chord shapes where we have them.
How to practise the D♯ Altered scale
Learn it as a rotation of a scale you already know (lydian dominant is melodic minor starting on its 4th note, altered starts on its 7th) and play it over the matching chord with a drone on the root.
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes in the D♯ Altered scale?
The notes of the D♯ Altered scale are D♯ E F♯ G A B C♯.
What is the formula for the D♯ Altered scale?
The pattern of whole and half steps is H – W – H – W – W – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step). In scale degrees: 1 ♭2 ♭3 ♭4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7.
What chords are in the D♯ Altered scale?
Built from the scale in triads: D♯°, Em, F♯m, G+, A, B, C♯°.
More D♯ scales
D♯ Natural Minor, D♯ Dorian, D♯ Phrygian, D♯ Locrian, D♯ Minor Pentatonic, D♯ Blues, D♯ Dorian ♭2, D♯ Locrian ♯2
Explore the full scales library, find a scale from notes with the scale finder, or see every chord in every key in the chord chart.