Altered Chords on Guitar: What They Are and How to Use Them

If you’ve listened to jazz guitarists and wondered how they create such sophisticated harmonic colors, or if you’ve heard fusion tracks with chords that sound simultaneously tense and beautiful, you’ve encountered altered chords. Altered chords are where guitar harmony becomes truly advanced - not because they’re complicated, but because they require understanding the deeper principles beneath chord construction.

What Are Altered Chords?

Altered chords are dominant seventh chords with modified upper extensions. Specifically, they include alterations to the ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth scale degrees: flat 9 (b9), sharp 9 (#9), sharp 11 (#11), and flat 13 (b13).

Let’s break this down. A standard G7 chord contains: G (root), B (major third), D (fifth), F (minor seventh). If we extend it to a G7b9, we add an F# (sharp 9). If we use G7#5, we sharpen the fifth to D#.

But why would we alter these notes? Because altered chords create maximum harmonic tension. Traditional harmony aims for smooth voice leading and consonance. Altered chords intentionally introduce dissonance and tension - tension that demands resolution.

In jazz and fusion, this tension is the whole point. An altered dominant chord signals instability. It almost always resolves to a chord a fifth lower (the tonic). This dominant-to-tonic relationship is the strongest harmonic movement in all of Western music. Altered dominants amplify that pull.

The Altered Scale

Before learning voicings, understand the altered scale (also called the super Locrian b7 mode). If you’re working with a G7alt chord, the altered scale is:

G - A - Bb - B - Db - Eb - F - G

Notice the characteristic intervals: the scale includes both natural and altered ninth (A and Bb), both the sharp and flat fifth (B and Db), and the flat thirteenth (Eb). This scale is the source of all altered harmony.

Why does this matter? Because when you improvise over an altered dominant, you’re drawing notes from this scale. When you voice an altered chord, you’re selecting and emphasizing specific notes from this scale.

Common Altered Chord Voicings for Guitar

Here are practical voicings you can use immediately. We’ll use G7 and its alterations as examples.

G7b9 (Dominant 7 Flat 9)

This is the most common altered chord in jazz and blues. The flat 9 (Ab) creates a characteristic “wrong note” sound that resolves beautifully.

String 6 (E string): 3 (G)
String 5 (A string): 5 (B)
String 4 (D string): 3 (F)
String 3 (G string): 3 (G)
String 2 (B string): 4 (Ab - the flat 9)
String 1 (high E): 3 (G)

E A D G B E
3 5 3 3 4 3

This voicing emphasizes the root, third, seventh, and crucially, the flat 9. Strum from the D string down.

G7#5 (Dominant 7 Sharp 5)

The sharp 5 (D#) creates tension without the “wrong note” quality of the flat 9. It’s smoother but still unstable.

String 6: 3 (G)
String 5: X (mute)
String 4: 4 (D# - the sharp 5)
String 3: 3 (G)
String 2: 3 (B)
String 1: 3 (G)

E A D G B E
3 X 4 3 3 3

Start from the D string.

G7#9 (Dominant 7 Sharp 9 - The “Jimi Hendrix Chord”)

Hendrix made this voicing famous. It’s aggressive and soulful simultaneously. The sharp 9 (A#) and natural 9 (A) can both appear, creating a clash that’s intentional and beautiful.

String 6: 3 (G)
String 5: 4 (A# - the sharp 9)
String 4: 3 (F)
String 3: 3 (G)
String 2: 3 (B)
String 1: 3 (G)

E A D G B E
3 4 3 3 3 3

This voicing is percussive. Strum it decisively.

G7b13 (Dominant 7 Flat 13)

The flat 13 (Eb) creates darkness without the extreme tension of flat 9. It’s sophisticated and moody.

String 6: 3 (G)
String 5: X (mute)
String 4: 3 (F)
String 3: 6 (Eb - the flat 13)
String 2: 3 (B)
String 1: 3 (G)

E A D G B E
3 X 3 6 3 3

When to Use Altered Chords

Jazz and Standards

In jazz, altered dominants appear constantly. When you see a chord chart with V7alt, you’re looking at a chord one-fifth above your target.

Example: If the progression moves to C major (Cmaj7), the preceding dominant is G7. And in jazz standards, that G7 is almost always altered to increase tension before resolving to C.

Real progression: F#m7b5 - B7b9 - Emaj7

The B7b9 creates maximum instability that releases completely into the calm Emaj7.

Funk and Soul

Listen to James Brown, Stevie Wonder, or John Scofield and you hear altered chords used rhythmically and texturally. In funk, an altered chord might stay for multiple bars, becoming more rhythmic gesture than harmonic function.

Blues and Rock

Classic blues uses dominant 7 chords (the 12-bar blues is essentially I-IV-V all dominant). Rock and blues guitarists add alterations for color. A straight 12-bar blues with altered dominants becomes more sophisticated.

Progression: 4 bars of A7#9, 4 bars of D7b9, 4 bars of A7#5.

Fusion and Progressive Rock

Fusion is essentially rock rhythm with jazz harmony. Altered chords are standard vocabulary. Listen to Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, or John McLaughlin - you hear altered dominants constantly.

How Altered Chords Create Tension and Resolution

This is the principle underlying all uses. Here’s how it works:

The Tension: An altered dominant chord is inherently unstable. The altered notes (especially b9 and #5) are outside the listener’s expectation. They create discomfort.

The Pull: The listener’s ear pulls toward resolution. An altered V7 chord almost screams “resolve to I.”

The Resolution: When the chord moves from G7b9 to Cmaj7, there’s immediate release. The resolution is so satisfying because the tension was so strong.

Example progression:

Cmaj7 (tonic - stable, resolved) Cmaj7 (stable) G7b9 (altered dominant - maximum tension) Cmaj7 (resolution - even more satisfying than the first Cmaj7)

This cycle is used in countless jazz standards, soul songs, and contemporary tracks. Tension-resolution is fundamental to musical meaning.

Practical Harmonic Examples

Jazz ii-V-I with Alterations

The ii-V-I is the most common progression in jazz. When altered:

Dm7 - G7#5 - Cmaj7

Or:

Dm7b5 - G7b9 - Cmaj7

Play through these. Notice how the ii-V-I without alterations sounds smooth and flowing. With alterations, it becomes more dramatic and contemporary.

Soul Music Example

Em7 - A7#9 - Dmaj7 - Dmaj7

The A7#9 creates color and soul. You’ll hear this exact progression in countless R&B, soul, and contemporary pop tracks.

Blues Turnaround with Alterations

Standard: A7 - D7 - A7 - E7

Altered: A7#5 - D7b9 - A7#9 - E7b9

The alterations make the blues sound more sophisticated and modern while maintaining the essential blues character.

Voicing Principles for Altered Chords

When you voice an altered dominant, several principles guide you:

Include the root and seventh: These are the foundation. They tell the listener this is a dominant chord. Without them, the listener might not understand the harmonic function.

Include at least one alteration: The alteration is what makes it “altered.” Without at least one altered note, it’s just a regular dominant.

Include the third: The major third (G to B in a G7 chord) keeps it a dominant, not a diminished or diminished seventh.

Omit the perfect fifth when possible: The perfect fifth (G to D) is the least interesting note. If you’re including an altered fifth (#5 or b5), obviously include that instead. But if you’re only altering the extensions (9, 11, 13), the perfect fifth can be omitted.

Following these principles, you can create your own voicings. The beauty of altered chords is that many voicings work. The notes just need to reflect the principles above.

Common Mistakes with Altered Chords

Overuse

Altered chords are spicy. Too much creates chaos instead of sophistication. In a 12-bar blues, one or two altered dominants are perfect. All four dominant chords altered sounds like random noise.

Use altered chords intentionally, not reflexively.

Using Alterations Without Resolution

An altered dominant demands resolution. If you play a G7b9 and then move to F#m7, the listener feels unresolved. The tension goes nowhere.

Always resolve altered dominants to their tonic (a fifth lower), at least initially. Once you master this, you can break the rule intentionally.

Conflicting Alterations

Each alteration carries meaning. G7b9#5 (flat 9 and sharp 5 together) creates maximum tension - probably too much for most contexts. G7#9 (sharp 9) is blues and soul. G7b13 (flat 13) is darker, more contemporary jazz.

Choose alterations intentionally based on the sound you want, not by throwing multiple alterations together.

Forgetting the Resolution Timeline

An altered dominant is exciting for a moment. If you stay on it too long without moving to the resolution chord, the excitement becomes tedious.

Typically, an altered dominant lasts one to four bars before resolving.

Try This in Guitar Wiz

Use Guitar Wiz’s chord library to study altered chord voicings:

Search for “G7alt” or “G7b9” in the chord library
Study the fingering diagram - see exactly where the altered notes are
Practice the voicing for one minute using the metronome
Then practice transitioning from a C major chord to the G7 chord (the V-I relationship)
Notice how the G7 wants to resolve back to C - this is the altered tension at work

For deeper exploration:

Look up V7 in a particular key (e.g., D7 for A major)
Compare the standard D7 voicing to D7b9 and D7#5
Notice the physical differences on the fretboard
Play them both, hearing the difference in tension

The Song Maker feature is perfect for building progressions using altered chords. Try this:

Build a ii-V-I: A minor - D7 (unaltered)
Listen to how it sounds
Change the D7 to D7#5
Listen to the increased tension before resolution to G major

The metronome keeps your progression in time while you focus on hearing the harmonic colors.