What is an Altered Dominant?

An altered dominant is a dominant seventh chord in which one or more of its upper chord tones are raised or lowered chromatically to create additional tension. These alterations typically affect the fifth or ninth of the chord, producing a more intense sound that strongly resolves to the following chord.

A basic dominant chord contains the root, third, fifth, and seventh. In an altered dominant, notes such as the ♭9, ♯9, ♭5, or ♯5 are added or substituted. For example, a G7 chord might become G7♭9, G7♯9, or G7♭5, introducing notes that do not normally belong to the standard scale of the key.

Altered dominant chords are commonly used in jazz, blues, and modern harmony. These altered tones create strong tension that resolves smoothly to the tonic or another target chord. Because of their expressive sound, altered dominants are often used to add color, intensity, and dramatic movement to chord progressions.