B Altered Guitar Scale
Guitar scale in Baritone (B Standard) tuning — fretboard diagram
B Altered in Baritone (B Standard) — Notes and Intervals
The B Altered scale is the ultimate dominant scale in jazz. On Guitar, its notes are B, C, D, D#, F, G, A. 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: B, C, D, D#, F, G, A
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
Tuning: Baritone (B Standard) (B-E-A-D-F#-B)
Also known as: super locrian, diminished whole tone, pomeroy
About Baritone (B Standard) Tuning
The baritone guitar is tuned a perfect fourth lower than standard guitar (B-E-A-D-F#-B), producing a distinctly beefy tone with serious low-end depth that sits perfectly between guitar and bass. Its rich, dark voice has made it a secret weapon in film scoring, ambient music, and moody songwriting where you need that unmistakable low-end warmth without losing clarity.
Unlike simply tuning a standard guitar down (which causes floppy strings and muddy tone), the baritone guitar uses a longer scale length (typically 27"-30") designed specifically for lower tunings. This gives each note clarity and definition even in the lowest register. Session musicians, film composers, and bedroom producers alike reach for the baritone when they need dark, atmospheric textures, doom-laden riffs, or simply a different sonic palette that standard guitar can't deliver.
Notable artists: Pat Metheny, Nels Cline, Brian Setzer, Baritone session players in Nashville
Best for: Moody songwriting, film scoring, ambient textures, doom metal, and any production that needs low-end depth with clarity
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.