Here's an easy way to get a handle on playing outside.

An easy way to play the "Altered" scale.
Since this scale is spelled 1 b2 b3 b4 b5 b6 b7, it's easy to see it as a regular major (Ionian) scale. Just lower the whole scale (except for the root), 1/2 step.
EX: Over G, play the F# Major scale. Except, every time you come to an F# note, substitute a G note there.


The "Altered" scale has all of the choice alterations you might apply to a Dominant chord.

Try playing E Alt. over an E7#9 chord.



Most of your major scale phrases, and fingerings will be easily accessible, and useful. So you can concentrate more on getting a feel for the tonality of the scale, instead of having to spend so much time working on the physical side of things.

... which can be 'outlined' by a minor pentatonic (blues box) up a minor 3rd from your root chord.

Ex: G7#9 = up a m3 = Bb minor penta (blues box at the 6th fret). It outlines an F# major scale (3, 5, 6, 7, 9).

F#maj9 - G7#9 - F#maj9 - G7#9 is decent progression to play this over. The Bb min penta will sound perfectly "in" over the F# and a little "out" over the G.

Thanks for makin' me think swain .

Cool tip! I live through those pentatonic forms. I'm gonna have to mess with your idea.

So, over the G7#9
Bbm pent. will give me the #9 #11 #5 Dom.7 and b9

That's pretty cool. I would tend to think in terms of pent. forms, a lot of the time. So, I'd probably be mixing Ebm Abm and Bbm pents. But, by focusing on the Bbm, you can distill all of the cool "Altered" tones to a simple and familiar pattern! EXCELLENT!

I'll be working on this, first thing tomorrow.

I stumbled on to it by accident thinking about your F# major, but change F# to G idea. I'm more comfortable thinking of G7 altered by starting on an Ab note and going from there. I just realized that a Bb minor pentatonic outlines it - G7 alt. - AND any F# major stuff.