Notes in the G♯ Altered scale
| Degree | Note | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | G♯ | Tonic |
| ♭2 | A | Supertonic |
| ♭3 | B | Mediant |
| ♭4 | C | Subdominant |
| ♭5 | D | Dominant |
| ♭6 | E | Submediant |
| ♭7 | F♯ | Subtonic |
Each note uses a different letter name, so the spelling follows the scale rather than the keyboard: G♯ A B C D E F♯.
G♯ 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 G♯ Altered scale
Stacking thirds on each note of the scale gives these chords:
| Degree | Triad | 7th chord |
|---|---|---|
| i° | G♯° | G♯ø7 |
| ii | Am | Am(maj7) |
| iii | Bm | Bm7 |
| IV+ | C+ | C7♯5 |
| V | D | D7 |
| VI | E | E7 |
| vii° | F♯° | F♯ø7 |
Chord names link to guitar chord shapes where we have them.
How to practise the G♯ 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 G♯ Altered scale?
The notes of the G♯ Altered scale are G♯ A B C D E F♯.
What is the formula for the G♯ 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 G♯ Altered scale?
Built from the scale in triads: G♯°, Am, Bm, C+, D, E, F♯°.
More G♯ scales
G♯ Natural Minor, G♯ Dorian, G♯ Phrygian, G♯ Mixolydian, G♯ Locrian, G♯ Major Pentatonic, G♯ Minor Pentatonic, G♯ Blues, G♯ Dorian ♭2, G♯ Mixolydian ♭6, G♯ Locrian ♯2, G♯ Phrygian Dominant
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.