About the C Diminished Scale (Half-Whole)
The C diminished scale is a 8-note scale. Symmetric scale alternating half and whole steps, used over dominant 7th chords. Its notes are C, C#, D#, E, F#, G, A and A#, built from the formula 1 ♭2 ♭3 3 ♭5 5 6 ♭7.
- Notes
- C – C# – D# – E – F# – G – A – A#
- 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
- C
C Diminished Scale (Half-Whole) degrees and intervals
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | Root |
| ♭2 | C# | Minor 2nd |
| ♭3 | D# | Minor 3rd |
| 3 | E | Major 3rd |
| ♭5 | F# | Tritone (♭5) |
| 5 | G | Perfect 5th |
| 6 | A | Major 6th |
| ♭7 | A# | Minor 7th |
Where to play the C Diminished Scale (Half-Whole) on 5-string bass
Frets 0–12 in standard tuning (B E A D G), lowest string first. Root notes (C) are highlighted; the pattern repeats from the 12th fret up.
| String | Frets |
|---|---|
| B0 | 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11 |
| 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 C Diminished Scale (Half-Whole)
These scales share every note with the C diminished scale but start from a different root, so the same shapes work over different chords.
Diminished scale in other keys
Other scales in C
- C Minor Pentatonic
- C Major Pentatonic
- C Mixolydian Pentatonic
- C Natural Minor
- C Major (Ionian)
- C Blues
- C Dorian
- C Mixolydian
- C Phrygian
- C Harmonic Minor
- C Lydian
- C Locrian
- C Diminished (Whole-Half)
- C Whole Tone
- C Augmented (Hexatonic)
- C Altered (Super Locrian)
- C Phrygian Dominant
- C Lydian Dominant
- C Mixolydian ♭6 (Hindu)
- C Bebop Dominant
- C Quartal (Stacked 4ths)
- C Quartal Minor (Stacked 4ths)