A Super Locrian (Altered Scale)
Notes in the A Super Locrian (Altered Scale)
| Degree | Name | Note | Frequency (A=440) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonic | A | 440.000 Hz |
| ♭2 | Altered 2nd | A# | 466.164 Hz |
| ♭3 | Minor Mediant | C | 261.626 Hz |
| ♭4 | Altered 4th | C# | 277.183 Hz |
| ♭5 | Tritone | D# | 311.127 Hz |
| ♭6 | Altered 6th | F | 349.228 Hz |
| ♭7 | Subtonic | G | 391.995 Hz |
Interval Pattern
| Step | Interval | Semitones | From Note | To Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Half Step (H) | 1 | A | A# |
| 2 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | A# | C |
| 3 | Half Step (H) | 1 | C | C# |
| 4 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | C# | D# |
| 5 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | D# | F |
| 6 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | F | G |
| 7 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | G | A |
Chords Built on Scale Degrees
| Degree | Note | Chord | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | A diminished | diminished |
| ♭2 | A# | A# minor | minor |
| ♭3 | C | C minor | minor |
| ♭4 | C# | C# augmented | augmented |
| ♭5 | D# | D# | major |
| ♭6 | F | F | major |
| ♭7 | G | G diminished | diminished |
Key Signature
3 ♯ — The A key signature uses F#, C#, G#.
A Super Locrian (Altered Scale) in Practice
The A Super Locrian (Altered Scale) uses the key signature of 3 sharps (F#, C#, G#). A major has three sharps (F#, C#, G#) and a bright, clear sound. It is extremely common in popular music and rock, particularly on guitar, and is easily sung by most voices. On guitar, A positions offer open-string resonance for fingering positions for this scale.
The Super Locrian (or Altered scale) is mode VII of melodic minor. It contains every possible alteration of the dominant scale and is the definitive jazz scale for altered dominant chord resolution.
Tuning Frequencies Across Temperaments
Frequencies shown at A=440 Hz. View full temperament data for any note.
| Note | Equal Temp. | Pythagorean | Just Intonation |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 440.000 Hz | 440.000 Hz | 436.043 Hz |
| A# | 466.164 Hz | 463.538 Hz | 470.926 Hz |
| C | 261.626 Hz | 260.740 Hz | 261.626 Hz |
| C# | 277.183 Hz | 278.437 Hz | 279.067 Hz |
| D# | 311.127 Hz | 309.026 Hz | 313.951 Hz |
| F | 349.228 Hz | 347.654 Hz | 348.834 Hz |
| G | 391.995 Hz | 391.111 Hz | 392.438 Hz |
Related Scales
Guitar: A Super Locrian (Altered Scale) Positions
The A key offers 3 sharps (F#, C#, G#) on guitar. Sharp-side keys like A are idiomatic guitar keys because open strings (E, A, D, G, B, E) align with the scale's natural resonance points.