Db Super Locrian (Altered Scale)
Notes in the Db Super Locrian (Altered Scale)
| Degree | Name | Note | Frequency (A=440) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonic | Db | 277.183 Hz |
| ♭2 | Altered 2nd | D | 293.665 Hz |
| ♭3 | Minor Mediant | E | 329.628 Hz |
| ♭4 | Altered 4th | F | 349.228 Hz |
| ♭5 | Tritone | G | 391.995 Hz |
| ♭6 | Altered 6th | A | 440.000 Hz |
| ♭7 | Subtonic | B | 493.883 Hz |
Interval Pattern
| Step | Interval | Semitones | From Note | To Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Half Step (H) | 1 | Db | D |
| 2 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | D | E |
| 3 | Half Step (H) | 1 | E | F |
| 4 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | F | G |
| 5 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | G | A |
| 6 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | A | B |
| 7 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | B | Db |
Chords Built on Scale Degrees
| Degree | Note | Chord | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Db | Db diminished | diminished |
| ♭2 | D | D minor | minor |
| ♭3 | E | E minor | minor |
| ♭4 | F | F augmented | augmented |
| ♭5 | G | G | major |
| ♭6 | A | A | major |
| ♭7 | B | B diminished | diminished |
Key Signature
5 ♭ — The Db key signature uses Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb.
Db Super Locrian (Altered Scale) in Practice
The Db Super Locrian (Altered Scale) uses the key signature of 5 flats (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb). Db major has five flats and is enharmonically equivalent to C# major. It has a warm, veiled quality and appears in Romantic piano literature and jazz compositions. On guitar, Db positions offer comfortable transposing instrument keys 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Db | 277.183 Hz | 278.437 Hz | 279.067 Hz |
| D | 293.665 Hz | 293.332 Hz | 294.329 Hz |
| E | 329.628 Hz | 330.001 Hz | 327.032 Hz |
| F | 349.228 Hz | 347.654 Hz | 348.834 Hz |
| G | 391.995 Hz | 391.111 Hz | 392.438 Hz |
| A | 440.000 Hz | 440.000 Hz | 436.043 Hz |
| B | 493.883 Hz | 495.000 Hz | 490.548 Hz |
Related Scales
Transposing Instruments: Db Super Locrian (Altered Scale)
Db is a natural key for B♭ instruments (trumpet, clarinet, tenor sax), which sound a major second lower than written. B♭ instruments reading in C produce Db concert pitch. E♭ instruments (alto sax, baritone sax) reading in Db sound a major sixth lower.