fuaranScale Mastery
SCALE · ON CELLO

B♭ Altered

All four altered tensions — ♭9 ♯9 ♯11 ♭13 — over a dominant 7th. The 7th mode of melodic minor.

MEIMIDIHumdrum
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Tempo120 bpm

Audio source: tonejs-instruments by Nick Brosowsky (MIT)

Engraved by Verovio 6.2.0-43f8060 5 title B♭ Altered Verovio
Keyboard
C♭E𝄫F♭B♭D♭G♭A♭
Related scales
Diatonic chord harmonisation
Same scale, other instruments
Same scale, other tonics
Modes built on this tonic
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Theory reference
Questions
What notes are in the B♭ Altered scale?

The B♭ Altered scale uses the notes B♭, C♭, D♭, E𝄫, F♭, G♭, A♭ (one octave; the pattern repeats at higher registers).

What's the Altered scale formula?

The Altered scale follows the interval pattern H W H W W W W, where W = whole step (2 semitones) and H = half step (1 semitone). Apply that pattern starting on B♭ to get the B♭ Altered scale.

What chords work over B♭ Altered?

Altered works over V7alt — ♭9, ♯9, ♯11, ♭13. The 7th mode of melodic minor; resolves down a half step to the I chord.

How do I finger B♭ Altered on Cello?

On bowed strings, scales train both fingering and bow technique. First-position fingerings cover most scales up to one octave; second-, third-, and fourth-position shifts unlock the higher register. The 1-2-3-4 finger pattern adapts to the half-step + whole-step positions per scale.

When would I use the Altered scale?

All four altered tensions — ♭9 ♯9 ♯11 ♭13 — over a dominant 7th. The 7th mode of melodic minor.