B Altered Mandolin Arpeggio
Mandolin arpeggio — fretboard diagram
B Altered Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals
Notes: B, D#, A, C
Intervals: 1P, 3M, 7m, 9m
Formula: 2W-6-WH
Number of notes: 4
Also known as: alt7
The B Altered arpeggio contains 4 notes (B, D#, A, C). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this arpeggio on Mandolin with different tunings and fret ranges.
When to Use the B Altered Arpeggio
Play the B Altered arpeggio whenever a B Altered chord appears in a progression. Unlike scales (which include passing tones), arpeggios guarantee every note you play IS a chord tone, making your solo sound harmonically precise and intentional.
Arpeggio vs. Scale
The B Altered arpeggio uses 4 notes (B, D#, A, C) while the full scale uses 7. The arpeggio is a subset — think of it as the skeleton of the scale. Practice alternating between the arpeggio and the full scale to develop a melodic vocabulary that mixes chord tones with passing tones.
How to Play B Altered Arpeggio on Mandolin
Locate B on your instrument and play through the 4 notes of the Altered arpeggio (B, D#, A, C) slowly, ensuring each tone rings clearly before connecting them at speed.
The B Altered arpeggio outlines a BAltered chord. Playing these 4 tones (B, D#, A, C) over the matching harmony ensures your melodic lines clearly follow the chord changes.
Practice Routine
Play the B Altered arpeggio as whole notes over a backing track or drone on B. Focus on intonation and tone quality for each of the 4 notes (B, D#, A, C). After a few passes, begin improvising short melodic phrases built from these arpeggio tones, connecting them with passing notes.
Mandolin Tips
Practice the B Altered arpeggio on your instrument at a slow, comfortable tempo, focusing on clean articulation of each of the 4 tones before gradually increasing speed.