A# Ultralocrian Bass Scale
Bass scale — fretboard diagram
A# Ultralocrian Scale — Notes and Intervals
The A# Ultralocrian scale is an extremely dark and condensed scale used to create intense chromatic tension. On Bass, its notes are A#, B, C#, D, E, F#, G. It is used in avant-garde jazz and dark ambient music to explore the most dissonant boundaries of minor-key tonality. Commonly used in Avant-Garde, Dark Ambient, Experimental Jazz. Notable players include John Zorn, Derek Bailey. Use over dim7 chords in avant-garde contexts. More of a compositional tool than an improvisational one.
Notes: A#, B, C#, D, E, F#, G
Intervals: 1P, 2m, 3m, 4d, 5d, 6m, 7d
Degrees: 1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 7
Formula: H-W-H-W-W-H-WH
Number of notes: 7
Also known as: superlocrian bb7, superlocrian diminished
How to Play A# Ultralocrian on Bass
On bass, locate A# on the A string at fret 1. Use a one-finger-per-fret approach starting from the root and span two to three strings. Keep your fretting hand relaxed and practice shifting between positions cleanly.
The A# Ultralocrian scale contains 3 sharps (A#, C#, F#). Its relative major is C# major, which shares the same key signature.
Practice Routine
Begin by playing the A# Ultralocrian scale ascending and descending at 80 BPM using a metronome, one note per beat. Once comfortable, practice in thirds (A#-C#, B-D) to build intervallic familiarity. Spend 5 minutes daily on this pattern before increasing tempo by 10 BPM.
Experiment with simple two-chord vamps rooted on A# to let the characteristic intervals of the Ultralocrian scale come through clearly.
Bass Tips
On bass, use the A# Ultralocrian scale to build walking bass lines by targeting chord tones on strong beats and using scale tones as approach notes. This is the foundation of functional bass playing.
The A# Ultralocrian scale contains 7 notes (A#, B, C#, D, E, F#, G). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Bass with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for A# Ultralocrian
The A# Ultralocrian 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.