ed ▁to ▁a ▁ 9 ▁and ▁a ▁ 9 ▁the ▁ele vent h ▁is ▁alter ed ▁to ▁a ▁ 1 1 ▁( equ ivalent ▁to ▁a ▁ 5 ) ▁the ▁th ir teenth ▁is ▁alter ed ▁to ▁a ▁ 1 3 ▁( equ ivalent ▁to ▁a ▁ 5 ) ▁ ▁The ▁alter ed ▁forms ▁of ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁non - ess ential ▁t ones ▁co inci de ▁( aug ment ed ▁ele vent h ▁with ▁dimin ished ▁fifth ▁and ▁augment ed ▁fifth ▁with ▁minor ▁th ir teenth ) ▁meaning ▁those ▁scale ▁degrees ▁are ▁en harm on ically ▁identical ▁and ▁have ▁multiple ▁potential ▁spell ings . ▁The ▁natural ▁forms ▁of ▁the ▁non - ess ential ▁t ones ▁are ▁not ▁present ▁in ▁the ▁scale . ▁This ▁means ▁it ▁contains ▁no ▁major ▁nin th , ▁no ▁perfect ▁ele vent h , ▁no ▁perfect ▁fifth , ▁and ▁no ▁major ▁th ir teenth . ▁▁ ▁This ▁is ▁written ▁below ▁in ▁musical ▁notation ▁with ▁the ▁essential ▁ch ord ▁t ones ▁col oured ▁black ▁and ▁the ▁non - ess ential ▁alter ed ▁ch ord ▁t ones ▁col oured ▁red . ▁ ▁The ▁alter ed ▁scale ▁is ▁made ▁by ▁the ▁sequence : ▁▁ ▁Half , ▁Wh ole , ▁Half , ▁Wh ole , ▁Wh ole , ▁Wh ole , ▁Wh ole ▁▁ ▁The ▁abbre viation ▁" alt " ▁( for ▁" alter ed ") ▁used ▁in ▁ch ord ▁symbols ▁enh ances ▁read ability ▁by ▁reducing ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁characters ▁otherwise ▁needed ▁to ▁define ▁the ▁ch ord ▁and ▁avoid s ▁the ▁confusion