D# Altered Guitar Scale
Guitar scale in Double Drop D tuning — fretboard diagram
D# Altered in Double Drop D — Notes and Intervals
The D# Altered scale is the ultimate dominant scale in jazz. On Guitar, its notes are D#, E, E##, G, A, B, C#. 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: D#, E, E##, G, A, B, C#
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: Double Drop D (D-A-D-G-B-D)
Also known as: super locrian, diminished whole tone, pomeroy
About Double Drop D Tuning
Double Drop D tuning (D-A-D-G-B-D) lowers both the 6th and 1st strings from E to D, creating a symmetrical frame of D notes around the standard middle four strings. This gives a distinctly resonant, jangly character that has been beloved in folk-rock and acoustic music since the late 1960s.
Neil Young used Double Drop D extensively — 'Cinnamon Girl' features its distinctive droning riff, and 'The Needle and the Damage Done' showcases its intimate fingerpicking potential. Jimmy Page used it on Led Zeppelin's 'Going to California'. Fleetwood Mac's 'The Chain' also employs this tuning. Because only two strings change (both by just one whole step), Double Drop D is one of the easiest alternate tunings to learn — most standard chord shapes on the inner four strings remain unchanged.
Notable artists: Neil Young, Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), Fleetwood Mac, Crosby Stills Nash & Young
Best for: Folk-rock songwriting, D-centric acoustic arrangements, droning fingerpicking patterns, and any song that benefits from rich D-string resonance on both outer strings
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.
Explore This Scale in Other Tunings
- D# Altered in Standard Tuning
- D# Altered in Drop D
- D# Altered in DADGAD
- D# Altered in Open G
- D# Altered in Baritone (B Standard)
- D# Altered in 7-string
- D# Altered in 8-string
- D# Altered in Drop C
- D# Altered in Drop B
- D# Altered in Open D
- D# Altered in Half Step Down
- D# Altered in Open E
- D# Altered in Open A
- D# Altered in Open C