About the A Diminished Scale (Half-Whole)
The A diminished scale is a 8-note scale. Symmetric scale alternating half and whole steps, used over dominant 7th chords. Its notes are A, A#, C, C#, D#, E, F# and G, built from the formula 1 ♭2 ♭3 3 ♭5 5 6 ♭7.
- Notes
- A – A# – C – C# – D# – E – F# – G
- Formula
- 1 ♭2 ♭3 3 ♭5 5 6 ♭7
- Steps
- H W H W H W H W (1–2–1–2–1–2–1–2 semitones)
- Root
- A
A Diminished Scale (Half-Whole) degrees and intervals
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | Root |
| ♭2 | A# | Minor 2nd |
| ♭3 | C | Minor 3rd |
| 3 | C# | Major 3rd |
| ♭5 | D# | Tritone (♭5) |
| 5 | E | Perfect 5th |
| 6 | F# | Major 6th |
| ♭7 | G | Minor 7th |
Where to play the A Diminished Scale (Half-Whole) on bass
Frets 0–12 in standard tuning (E A D G), lowest string first. Root notes (A) are highlighted; the pattern repeats from the 12th fret up.
| String | Frets |
|---|---|
| E1 | 0, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12 |
| A1 | 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12 |
| D2 | 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11 |
| G2 | 0, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12 |
How to practice the diminished scale
- Practice the symmetric pattern across strings
- Use over dominant 7♭9 chords
- Work on diminished arpeggio patterns within
- Try jazz fusion-style chromatic lines
- Practice in minor 3rd transpositions (same notes)
Scales with the same notes as A Diminished Scale (Half-Whole)
These scales share every note with the A diminished scale but start from a different root, so the same shapes work over different chords.
Diminished scale in other keys
Other scales in A
- A Minor Pentatonic
- A Major Pentatonic
- A Mixolydian Pentatonic
- A Natural Minor
- A Major (Ionian)
- A Blues
- A Dorian
- A Mixolydian
- A Phrygian
- A Harmonic Minor
- A Lydian
- A Locrian
- A Diminished (Whole-Half)
- A Whole Tone
- A Augmented (Hexatonic)
- A Altered (Super Locrian)
- A Phrygian Dominant
- A Lydian Dominant
- A Mixolydian ♭6 (Hindu)
- A Bebop Dominant
- A Quartal (Stacked 4ths)
- A Quartal Minor (Stacked 4ths)