Chord & FretAltered (super-Locrian) (G)
The last mode of the melodic minor, starting from its 7th degree, is the scale of dominants pushed to the limit: a seventh chord — the kind that builds expectation of resolution — carrying every altered tension at once: b9, #9, b5 and b13. The page's formula spells b3 and b4, which simply means the 'scale spelling' of the same sounds jazz players call #9 and the major 3rd. The result is maximum tension asking for a landing: in jazz it is the default choice over 7alt chords resolving down a fifth.
Example: G – Ab – Bb – Cb – Db – Eb – FFormula: 1 – b2 – b3 – b4 – b5 – b6 – b7In the formula, the numbers are degrees — positions counted in the reference major scale; "b" lowers a half step and "#" raises one.
Family: Melodic (jazz) minor and its modes.
The jazz-minor modes are central to jazz and sophisticated harmony. The #2/b3/#5 spelling is functional: enharmonically some notes sound the same, but the notation marks the tension they represent.
Chords in the harmonic field
These are the seven chords born from this scale — one built on each of its notes. Put another way: the set of chords that sounds naturally "inside" the scale. See the harmonic field of every key →
Gm7b5Abm(maj7)Bbm7Cbmaj7#5Db7Eb7Fm7b5The same scale on all four instruments
In the diagrams, each dot carries its scale degree — 1 is the tonic, highlighted.
One box per instrument is just the doorway into altered (super-Locrian). In Chord & Fret, you hear the scale in each of the four instruments' own voices; walk the scale's positions along the whole neck; and choose to start from the tonic or play the full box. Start free. Unlock everything with Pro. 100% offline. Open in Chord & Fret →