Fretboard fluency

Over the last couple of months, we’ve been looking at Superlocrian mode (also known as the Altered scale), which is commonly applied over altered dominant chords (dominant chords with alterations to the 5th and/or 2nd (9th) degrees. Superlocrian: R- b 2-#2-3- b 5-#5- b 7.

As we can see from the formula above, Superlocrian mode contains all the possible combinations of altered 5th and 2nd (9th) degrees, in addition to the root, 3rd, 5th and b 7th of the dominant chord. Typically found within jazz and blues progressions, altered dominant chords function as a means of creating tension, which helps guide the listener’s ear towards the resolving tonic chord a 4th higher (5th lower).

So far, we’ve worked through the E Superlocrian mode in five shapes along with some diatonic arpeggio sequences – initially applying our ideas over a static or ‘nonfunctional’ E7#9 chord vamp. In last month’s