E♭ Super Locrian (Altered Scale)

Notes in the E♭ Super Locrian (Altered Scale)

Interval Pattern

Chords Built on Scale Degrees

Key Signature

3 ♭ — The E♭ key signature uses B♭, E♭, A♭.

E♭ Super Locrian (Altered Scale) in Practice

The E♭ Super Locrian (Altered Scale) uses the key signature of 3 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭). Eb major has three flats and a rich, full sound well suited to brass instruments. It is widely used in jazz, classical music, and is the home key for Eb instruments. On guitar, E♭ 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. When played starting on E♭, the 7 notes are E♭, E, G♭, G, A, C♭, D♭. In this key the signature has 3 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭). Eb is the concert key for alto saxophone and baritone saxophone playing in their native C, and it is a staple of big band and jazz ensemble writing. Eb is heavily used in R&B, soul, and gospel music, where horn sections in Bb and Eb instruments can play without difficult transpositions.

Tuning Frequencies Across Temperaments

Frequencies shown at A=440 Hz. View full temperament data for any note.

Related Scales

Transposing Instruments: E♭ Super Locrian (Altered Scale)

E♭ 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 E♭ concert pitch. E♭ instruments (alto sax, baritone sax) reading in E♭ sound a major sixth lower.