1. Home
  2. Pages
  3. Scales & Modes
  4. Symmetrical Scales
  5. The Tritone Scale - Shapes, Charts and Theory For Guitar

The Tritone Scale - Shapes, Charts and Theory For Guitar

The tritone scale is a synthetic scale and also regarded as being a symmetrical scale.

It is built with two same patterns made of one minor second + one minor third + one major second, a tritone away (three tones) hence its name.

The tritone scale can also be seen as two superimposed major triads and also two dominant seventh arpeggios.

The formula is tonic (1), minor second (b2) , major third (3), augmented fourth (#4), perfect fifth (5) and minor seventh (b7) making it a hexatonic scale (made of six pitches).

Formula

Here is the formula chart for the tritone scale, notice that the #4 is sometimes labelled b5. However, it is better to call it #4 in order to avoid any confusion between the 5 and the b5.

Indeed, theoretically there can not be two fifths in a scale.

Tritone Scale C Db E F# G Bb
Formula 1 b2 3 #4 (b5) 5 b7
Intervals H H+W W H W+H W

Symmetry And Structure

The tritone scale can be seen in three ways:

1 - A combination of two identical patterns each comprising a minor 2nd (one semitone), a minor 3rd (three semitones) and a major 2nd (two semitones).

Each pattern being six semitones (or three tones) apart which give this scale its name.

Tritone scale

2. A combination of two major triads, this lead us back to the triad pairs improvisation system, that is to combine two triads to build modern improvised jazz lines. 

As shown in the example, you can see and ear that the tritone scale contains two major triads. 

  • One starting from the tonic, C major made of C (1), E (3) and G (5).
  • One starting from the sharp 4th giving a F# major triad made of F# (1), A# (3), C# (5) or if you prefer, Gb major triad (Gb-Bb-Db).
Tritone scale triad pairs

3. A combination of two dominant seventh chords, that are actually the two previous major triads with an added seventh (1-3-5-b7), thus giving C7 and F#7 (or Gb7).

Tritone scale dominant seventh chords

One Octave Shapes

The most efficient way to learn a scale for the first time is to practice it using one octave shapes (the notes are within the space of one octave), anywhere on the guitar neck, up and down, in all twelve keys.

Tritone scale guitar shapes 1

Two Octave Shapes

Now, try to practice the Tritone scale in position, in order to cover at least two octaves as shown in these two diagrams.

Tritone scale guitar charts two octaves

3 Notes Per String - 3NPS

The next two shapes show how to play the tritone scale using the 3NPS technique (3 notes per string).

The tritone scale shapes for guitar 1

Related Chord Shapes

As you will certainly have noticed, the tritone scale is actually a dominant 7 chord embellished with a b2 and a #4 respectively b9 and #11.

Making this scale a good option for improvising over dominant chords when you want to create jazz lines that bring in a little bit of tension.

Here are some altered dominant guitar chord shapes that fit well with the tritone scale.

Don't hesitate to create your own exercises by mixing a tritone scale lick with one of these chord voicings as shown in the example below.

Tritone scale guitar lick

Altered chord shapes tritone scale

Exercises 

Here below you'll find two patterns showing the C tritone scale broke up into two major triads (triad pairs C and F#) and two dominant seventh arpeggios (C7 and F#7). 

Tritone scale guitar lick seventh arpeggios 1
Tritone scale guitar lick triad pairs

6 Tritone Substitution Jazz Guitar Licks - Free PDF Method

This Printable PDF eBook available for free download contains 6 easy jazz guitar licks with tabs/notation, youtube video link and analysis about the tritone substitution.

25 Diminished Jazz Guitar Patterns | eBook PDF with Audio Files

This eBook PDF with audio files contains 25 dominant diminished jazz guitar patterns using the half-whole diminished scale and diminished 7th arpeggios.

25 Soul Jazz Licks For Guitar | Printable PDF Method With Tabs, Analysis And Audio files

You will find here an eBook available in PDF containing 25 soul jazz and hard bop guitar licks in the style of Grant Green, Melvin Sparks, George Benson.

40 Blues Licks For Jazz Guitar - PDF Method With Audio Files

This printable method is available as a PDF file containing 40 easy dominant jazz-blues guitar lines with tabs, standard notation, analysis, audio files and scale charts.

25 Altered Jazz Guitar Licks - eBook PDF Method With Audio Files

This PDF eBook method contains 25 altered jazz guitar licks with tabs, patterns, scale charts and audio files to master, apply and develop the altered scale.

11 Jazz Blues Chord Studies For Guitar | PDF Method With Audio Files

11 jazz blues chord studies with tabs, standard notation, analysis, and audio recordings and PDF.

Major 2-5-1 Chord Voicings - 50 Exercises For Jazz Guitar - PDF eBook Method With Audio

This printable PDF guitar method provides 50 exercises with audio files, analysis, tab and staves for learning major 2-5-1 chord voicings.

25 Pentatonic Lines for Jazz Guitar - PDF eBook Method with Tabs and Audio Files

This jazz guitar method is an eBook available as a PDF with standard notation, guitar tabs, diagrams, analysis, audio files and backing tracks. You will find in this booklet 25 easy jazz guitar lines with theory using common and rare pentatonic scales.

49 Essential Jazz Guitar Licks - PDF eBook Method With Tabs, Standard Notation & Audio Files

This printable eBook method in PDF format provides 49 jazz solo transcriptions of the greatest jazz musicians. Tab, standard notation, audio files & analysis.

40 Major Jazz Guitar Licks - PDF eBook Method With Tabs And Audio Files

Printable PDF eBook method containing 40 major jazz guitar licks with tab, standard notation and audio files for beginners and intermediates.

101 Dominant Arpeggio Exercises For Guitar Players - Tab & Standard Notation - Printable PDF eBook Method

This printable PDF method provides 101 dominant arpeggio exercises with tab, theory and standard notation for the jazz, blues and rock guitarist.

40 Minor (Dorian) Jazz Guitar Licks - PDF Method With Audio Files

This printable guitar method in PDF format contains 40 easy minor jazz guitar lines based on the Dorian mode.

40 II V I Jazz Guitar Licks - Printable PDF eBook Method With Audio Files

This pdf method for guitar contains fourteen 2 5 1 jazz guitar lines with tab, standard notation, analysis, scale charts and audio files.

Mixolydian Jazz Guitar Licks - PDF Method - 40 Exercises With Audio

PDF guitar method with tabs, audio files and theory providing 40 dominant jazz guitar lines for teachers and students.

120 Easy Jazz Licks For Guitar - BUNDLE - PDF Methods With Audio

This package contains 120 jazz guitar lines based on diatonic modes as Mixolydian, Dorian and Ionian. PDF format with tabs, audio files and analysis.

Guitar Walking Bass Lines & Chords - PDF Method - 35 Exercises With Tabs and Audio Files

This jazz guitar method about walking bass lines and chords is available as a PDF files containing 35 exercises with tabs, analysis and audio files

40 Minor II V I Jazz Guitar Licks - PDF eBook Method With Tabs & Audio

This guitar method is a printable PDF with tabs, diagrams, theory and audio files providing 40 minor 2 5 1 jazz patterns.

Minor 2 5 1 Chord Voicings For Jazz Guitar - PDF Method - 40 Exercises Audio Files

This PDF method contains 40 exercices with tabs, scores and audio files for practicing jazz guitar chords over the minor 2 5 1 progression.

30 Smooth Jazz Guitar Licks | PDF Method - Tabs, Standard Notation, Analysis, Audio Files

In this package you'll get a printable PDF Method with tabs, notation, analysis, scale shapes and audio files for practicing 30 smooth jazz guitar licks.

The Complete Guide to 126 Guitar Triad Shapes (Printable PDF)

This handbook for guitar players is intended both for teachers and students. It includes 126 guitar shapes for mastering triads.

Arpeggios For Guitar - 172 Shapes With Formulas - Printable PDF Method

This printable PDF is a method dedicated to guitarists of all styles who want to learn build and play the most important types of arpeggios.

Guitar Chord Dictionary - Printable PDF Method With Diagrams and Theory

This PDF eBook provides over 550 guitar chord shapes. This is the perfect reference guide to understand how chords are built and how to play them on the guitar neck.

2 5 1 Licks and Chords - 170 Jazz Guitar Exercises - PDF and Audio

This bundle contains 4 PDF methods for a total of 170 exercises with tabs, staves, analysis & audio files for practicing scales, arpeggios licks & chords over the 2-5-1 progression.

Guitar Scale Dictionary - PDF Method With Formula Charts, Intervals and Diagrams

This E-book is a printable PDF method including over 700 scale diagrams and formula charts for guitarists.

30 Minor Arpeggio Licks For Jazz Guitar - PDF Method With Audio Files

This package includes a printable PDF method containing 30 exercises with tabs, staves and audio files for practicing minor arpeggios on guitar.

10 Easy Fingerstyle Blues Guitar Studies For Kids And Beginners - PDF With Tabs, Standard Notation And Audio

This PDF with Tabs and audio files provides 10 easy acoustic fingerstyle blues guitar studies for kids and beginners.

10 Minor 7 Arpeggio Patterns For Jazz Guitar | PDF With YouTube Video Link

This printable PDF eBook offers 10 easy minor 7 arpeggio patterns with its related YouTube video for beginner guitarists.

10 Major 7 Arpeggio Licks For Beginners - PDF With YouTube Link And Backing Track

This is a printable PDF for beginner jazz guitar players providing 10 easy licks to practice major 7 arpeggios.

10 Easy Chord Melody Exercises For Jazz Guitar | PDF With Audio | 2 5 1 Progression

Within this package, you'll discover a set of ten chord melody exercises for beginners. Printable PDFaudio files, a backing track, and a link to a YouTube video.

30 Groovy Jazz Guitar Licks – PDF + Audio

This downloadable package contains a PDF WITH audio files giving access to 30 groovy guitar phrases mixing jazz, blues and funky licks for beginners.

10 Minor Blues Scale Jazz Guitar Licks - PDF With Audio Files

You'll find here a PDF with 10 easy jazz guitar licks to practice the minor blues scale on guitar.

Major Scale Harmonization - Shell Voicings With Extensions

This package provides a printable PDF with exercises and audio files to learn how to harmonize the major scale with 3 note chords and their extensions.

Harmonic Major Scale Chords For Guitar - Printable PDF With Diagrams And Tabs

this PDF offers diagrams and tabs for guitar to learn the chords of the harmonic major scale.

Harmonized Scales For Guitar - PDF Method - Chords & Arpeggios

Complete guitar PDF on harmonized scales: major, minor, harmonic and melodic. Includes chord and arpeggio diagrams, charts and practical tabs.

CAGED Arpeggios for Guitar - PDF eBook Method - 600 Shapes

Master the guitar fretboard with this PDF CAGED arpeggio method: 600 shapes to improve chord-tone awareness, harmony, and improvisation skills.

Essential Guitar Scale Shapes – Complete Fretboard Reference Poster

Guitar scale poster with 17 fretboard diagrams covering modes, pentatonics, blues, minor & symmetric scales. Ideal for teachers, students & players.

Guitar Chord Poster - Reference Chart And Wall Art

This printed color posters contains 63 guitar chord diagrams for jazz players, students, teachers and schools.

Guitar Poster - Modes of The Major Scale

Guitar reference posters and wall art about modes of the major scale for guitar teachers, students and music schools.

Arpeggio Shapes For Guitar - Posters and Wall Art

This giant guitar poster for any guitar player, student or instructor contains colorful arpeggio diagrams. Giant size 24 x 36 inches (60 x 90 cm).

Guitar Triads Poster - Reference Chart - Shapes & Formulas (Handwritten Style) - 24"x 36" (60 x 90 cm)

This reference poster show the positions and intervals of the main triads used on guitar. This is a useful tool for guitarists, teacher and students.

Decorative Guitar Poster - Four Archtop Guitars - Wall Art - Landscape Format

This is a decorative poster with four archtop jazz guitars. Several size and colors in landscape format available on Teespring and redbubble.

Melodic Minor Modes - Guitar Poster With Scale, Arpeggio And Chord Charts

Educative and decorative giant guitar poster with neck diagrams, interval names about the seven modes of the melodic minor scale.

Pentatonic Scales - Guitar Poster - Educative Reference Chart

This guitar reference poster shows the positions and intervals of the major pentatonic scale.

Guitar Poster With Notes On Fretboard And Staff

This is a giant poster showing the notes on the guitar fret board and their positions on a musical staff.

Intervals On Guitar - Poster With Neck Diagrams

This giant poster for guitar provides neck diagrams with interval positions.

Diatonic Major Scale Modes - Guitar Theory Poster

This poster is created for music teachers and students, illustrating the structure of the seven modes of the major scale.

Melodic Minor Modes - Guitar Theory Poster

This music theory poster available in several sizes shows the construction of the seven modes of the melodic minor scale.

Harmonic Minor Modes - Guitar Theory Poster

This music theory poster, offered in various sizes, demonstrates the structure of the seven modes of the melodic minor scale.

Major Scale Chords - Guitar Poster

This handy poster provides a clear visual guide to the chords built from the major scale, helping you recognize patterns and improve your playing.

Harmonic Minor Scale Chords - Guitar Poster

Discover the chords of the harmonic minor scale with this guitar poster.

Melodic Minor Scale Chords - Guitar Poster

Explore the rich harmonic possibilities of the melodic minor scale with this essential guitar poster.

Guitar Walking Bass Lines And Chords - Mini Lesson 01 (ML 01)

You'll find a mini guitar lesson about walking bass lines and chords containing a PDF with tab, score analysis, shapes, a video and a guitar pro file.

Jazz Guitar Lines Over Basic Chord Progressions - Mini Lesson 02 (ML 02)

In this mini jazz guitar lesson you will learn how to play easy and cool jazz lines over basic chord changes found in jazz. Pdf, tab and video included.

Arpeggio Practice - Mini Guitar Lesson 03 (ML 03)

With this short lesson you will learn how to play and connect basic guitar arpeggios over a diatonic chord progression.

Jazz Blues Arpeggio Study in Bb (part 1) - Mini Guitar Lesson 04 (ML 04)

This is a downloadable package with PDF, Tab, guitar pro file and video to practice guitar arpeggios over a jazz blues chord progression.

Jazz Blues Arpeggios - Study in Bb (Part 2) - Mini Guitar Lesson 05 (ML 05)

This downloadable package provides a PDF with Tab/score, a guitar pro file and a short video for practicing guitar arpeggios on a jazz blues progression in Bb.

Jazz Blues Arpeggio Study (Bb) Part 3 - Mini Guitar Lesson 06 (ML 06)

This package for guitarists contains a PDF with tab, video, backing track and guitar pro file for practicing arpeggios over a basic jazz blues progression.

Arpeggio Superimposition For Guitar - Mini Lesson 07 (ML 07)

With this mini guitar lesson you will learn how to superimpose arpeggios over a diatonic chord progression. Video, pdf, jamtrack and guitar pro file included.

Connecting Scales And Arpeggios Over Bb Blues - Mini Lesson 08 (ML08)

Mini lesson with PDF, guitar pro file, video and backing track for practicing scale and arpeggio connections over a Bb jazz blues progression.

Mixing Jazz Guitar Chords And Melodic Lines Over a Blues In B - Mini Lesson (ML09) - PDF, Backing Track, Video and Guitar Pro File

This mini lesson is a downloadable package containing a PDF, video, backing track and guitar pro file of a jazz blues progression study in B.

Open Triads On Guitar - Fly Me To The Moon - Mini Lesson 10 - Printable PDF, Video, Backing Track, Guitar Pro File

This mini guitar lesson provides a printable PDF with tab/notation, video, backing track and guitar pro file for practicing open triads over Fly Me To The Moon.

Blue Bossa Solo Lines For Guitar - Mini Lesson 11 - PDF, Video, Guitar Pro File, Backing Track

This guitar lesson is a package inlcuding a PDF transcription with analysis, a short video, a backing track and a guitar pro file to learn to play jazz solo lines over Blue Bossa.

Jazz Blues Guitar Study in G - Mini Lesson (ML12) - Melodic Lines, Chord Extensions & Substitutions

This mini lesson provides a video, a guitar pro file and PDF transcription of a jazz blues study in G implying melodic lines, chord extensions and substitutions

Take The A Train Jazz Guitar Solo Study - Mini Lesson (ML 13)

Take the A Train jazz guitar lesson: solo study with PDF tab, backing track, audio demo and Guitar Pro file to improve phrasing and improvisation.

Last edited: 2024-09-21

Add a comment