F# Altered Cuatro Venezolano Scale
Cuatro Venezolano scale — fretboard diagramAdvanced
F# Altered Scale — Notes and Intervals
The F# Altered scale is the ultimate dominant scale in jazz. On Cuatro Venezolano, its notes are F#, G, A, A#, C, D, E. It contains every possible altered tension, making it sound extremely dissonant and complex. It is used by professional improvisers to create maximum tension over a dominant chord before a satisfying resolution. Commonly used in Jazz, Fusion, Post-Bop, Contemporary. Notable players include John Coltrane, Michael Brecker, Pat Metheny, Chick Corea. Use over 7alt, 7#9, 7b9, 7#5, 7b5 chords. The definitive scale for altered dominant chords that resolve to minor. Play C Altered over C7alt resolving to Fm.
Notes: F#, G, A, A#, C, D, E
Intervals: 1P, 2m, 2A, 3M, 4A, 6m, 7m
Degrees: 1 b2 #3 4 #5 b6 b7
Formula: H-W-H-W-W-W-W
Number of notes: 7
Also known as: super locrian, diminished whole tone, pomeroy
Musical Character
Contains every possible altered tension (b9, #9, b5, #5) over a dominant chord. It is the ultimate 'tension before resolution' scale — play it on V7 and resolve to I for maximum drama.
Genres & Notable Artists
Genres: Jazz, Fusion, Post-Bop, Contemporary
Notable players: John Coltrane, Michael Brecker, Pat Metheny, Chick Corea
How to Use the F# Altered Scale
Use over 7alt, 7#9, 7b9, 7#5, 7b5 chords. The definitive scale for altered dominant chords that resolve to minor. Play C Altered over C7alt resolving to Fm.
Origin & Background
Also called Super Locrian or Diminished Whole Tone. The crown jewel of jazz theory — understanding this scale unlocks professional-level improvisation.
How to Play F# Altered on Cuatro Venezolano
Begin by locating F# on your instrument and play through the 7 notes of the Altered scale slowly, ensuring each note rings clearly before increasing speed.
The F# Altered scale contains 2 sharps (F#, A#). This scale does not follow a traditional major or minor key signature, so reading from sheet music may require accidentals.
Practice Routine
Set a metronome to 100 BPM and play the F# Altered scale in groups of four notes, shifting the starting note each repetition. This builds muscle memory across the entire scale range. After a week, try improvising short 4-bar phrases using only these notes.
Exotic scales like the Altered often work best as a melodic layer over a single root drone on F#. Let the unique intervals speak for themselves without frequent chord changes. This scale is especially effective in post-bop contexts.
Cuatro Venezolano Tips
Practice the F# Altered scale slowly and evenly on your instrument, focusing on tone quality for each of the 7 notes before building speed. Aim for a dissonant quality in your phrasing to match the natural character of this scale.
Related Scales
Altered is the 7th mode of the Melodic Minor scale (Super Locrian). View F# Melodic minor scale
The F# Altered scale contains 7 notes (F#, G, A, A#, C, D, E). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Cuatro Venezolano with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for F# Altered
The F# Altered scale can be played in 5 CAGED positions across the fretboard, each based on an open chord shape (C, A, G, E, D). As a 7-note scale, it also lends itself to 3-notes-per-string (3NPS) patterns that facilitate legato playing and diagonal shifting. Use the pattern selector above to isolate each position.
Explore F# Altered Further
- F# Altered arpeggio on Cuatro Venezolano
- Browse chord progressions
- F# Altered on Guitar
- F# Altered on Ukulele
- F# Altered on Bass
- F# Altered on Piano