C Altered Ukulele Scale
Ukulele scale — fretboard diagram
C Altered Scale — Notes and Intervals
The C Altered scale is the ultimate dominant scale in jazz. On Ukulele, its notes are C, Db, D#, E, F#, Ab, Bb. 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: C, Db, D#, E, F#, Ab, Bb
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
Also known as: super locrian, diminished whole tone, pomeroy
How to Play C Altered on Ukulele
On ukulele, find C on the open strings or work through the scale within a four-fret span. You may need to shift positions once to cover all 7 notes. Practice each position separately before linking them together.
The C Altered scale contains both sharps and flats (2 sharps, 3 flats), which is common in altered and exotic scales. This scale does not follow a traditional major or minor key signature, so reading from sheet music may require accidentals.
Practice Routine
Begin by playing the C Altered scale ascending and descending at 80 BPM using a metronome, one note per beat. Once comfortable, practice in thirds (C-D#, Db-E) to build intervallic familiarity. Spend 5 minutes daily on this pattern before increasing tempo by 10 BPM.
Exotic scales like the Altered often work best as a melodic layer over a single root drone on C. Let the unique intervals speak for themselves without frequent chord changes.
Ukulele Tips
On ukulele, the C Altered scale sounds particularly charming when played as a melodic pattern over fingerpicked chord shapes. Try integrating scale tones into your strumming patterns for a more sophisticated sound.
The C Altered scale contains 7 notes (C, Db, D#, E, F#, Ab, Bb). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Ukulele with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for C Altered
The C Altered 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.
Explore C Altered Further
- Harmonize the C Altered scale — triads & 7th chords
- Browse chord progressions
- C Altered on Guitar
- C Altered on Bass
- C Altered on Piano