About the A#/Bb Whole Tone Scale
The A#/Bb whole tone scale is a 6-note scale. All whole steps, dreamy and unresolved sound. Its notes are A#, C, D, E, F# and G#, built from the formula 1 2 3 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7.
- Notes
- A# – C – D – E – F# – G#
- Formula
- 1 2 3 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7
- Steps
- W W W W W W (2–2–2–2–2–2 semitones)
- Root
- A#/Bb
A#/Bb Whole Tone Scale degrees and intervals
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A# | Root |
| 2 | C | Major 2nd |
| 3 | D | Major 3rd |
| ♭5 | E | Tritone (♭5) |
| ♭6 | F# | Minor 6th |
| ♭7 | G# | Minor 7th |
Where to play the A#/Bb Whole Tone Scale on 6-string bass
Frets 0–12 in standard tuning (B E A D G C), lowest string first. Root notes (A#) are highlighted; the pattern repeats from the 12th fret up.
| String | Frets |
|---|---|
| B0 | 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 |
| E1 | 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 |
| A1 | 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 |
| D2 | 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 |
| G2 | 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 |
| C3 | 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 |
How to practice the whole tone scale
- Practice the even whole-step pattern
- Use over augmented and 7#5 chords
- Work on Debussy-inspired voicings
- Try creating tension before resolution
- Experiment with augmented triads within
Scales with the same notes as A#/Bb Whole Tone Scale
These scales share every note with the A#/Bb whole tone scale but start from a different root, so the same shapes work over different chords.
Whole Tone scale in other keys
Other scales in A#/Bb
- A#/Bb Minor Pentatonic
- A#/Bb Major Pentatonic
- A#/Bb Mixolydian Pentatonic
- A#/Bb Natural Minor
- A#/Bb Major (Ionian)
- A#/Bb Blues
- A#/Bb Dorian
- A#/Bb Mixolydian
- A#/Bb Phrygian
- A#/Bb Harmonic Minor
- A#/Bb Lydian
- A#/Bb Locrian
- A#/Bb Diminished (Half-Whole)
- A#/Bb Diminished (Whole-Half)
- A#/Bb Augmented (Hexatonic)
- A#/Bb Altered (Super Locrian)
- A#/Bb Phrygian Dominant
- A#/Bb Lydian Dominant
- A#/Bb Mixolydian ♭6 (Hindu)
- A#/Bb Bebop Dominant
- A#/Bb Quartal (Stacked 4ths)
- A#/Bb Quartal Minor (Stacked 4ths)