About the B Diminished Scale (Whole-Half)
The B diminished scale is a 8-note scale. Symmetric scale alternating whole and half steps, used over diminished chords. Its notes are B, C#, D, E, F, G, G# and A#, built from the formula 1 2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 6 7.
- Notes
- B – C# – D – E – F – G – G# – A#
- Formula
- 1 2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 6 7
- Steps
- W H W H W H W H (2–1–2–1–2–1–2–1 semitones)
- Root
- B
B Diminished Scale (Whole-Half) degrees and intervals
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | B | Root |
| 2 | C# | Major 2nd |
| ♭3 | D | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | E | Perfect 4th |
| ♭5 | F | Tritone (♭5) |
| ♭6 | G | Minor 6th |
| 6 | G# | Major 6th |
| 7 | A# | Major 7th |
Where to play the B Diminished Scale (Whole-Half) on bass
Frets 0–12 in standard tuning (E A D G), lowest string first. Root notes (B) are highlighted; the pattern repeats from the 12th fret up.
| String | Frets |
|---|---|
| E1 | 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12 |
| A1 | 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11 |
| D2 | 0, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12 |
| G2 | 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12 |
How to practice the diminished scale
- Learn the repeating 2-fret pattern
- Use over dim7 chords and passing diminished
- Practice diminished 7th arpeggios within scale
- Work on bebop-style enclosures
- Transpose in minor 3rds to see symmetry
Scales with the same notes as B Diminished Scale (Whole-Half)
These scales share every note with the B diminished scale but start from a different root, so the same shapes work over different chords.
Diminished scale in other keys
Other scales in B
- B Minor Pentatonic
- B Major Pentatonic
- B Mixolydian Pentatonic
- B Natural Minor
- B Major (Ionian)
- B Blues
- B Dorian
- B Mixolydian
- B Phrygian
- B Harmonic Minor
- B Lydian
- B Locrian
- B Diminished (Half-Whole)
- B Whole Tone
- B Augmented (Hexatonic)
- B Altered (Super Locrian)
- B Phrygian Dominant
- B Lydian Dominant
- B Mixolydian ♭6 (Hindu)
- B Bebop Dominant
- B Quartal (Stacked 4ths)
- B Quartal Minor (Stacked 4ths)