About the B Diminished Scale (Half-Whole)
The B diminished scale is a 8-note scale. Symmetric scale alternating half and whole steps, used over dominant 7th chords. Its notes are B, C, D, D#, F, F#, G# and A, built from the formula 1 ♭2 ♭3 3 ♭5 5 6 ♭7.
- Notes
- B – C – D – D# – F – F# – G# – 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
- B
B Diminished Scale (Half-Whole) degrees and intervals
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | B | Root |
| ♭2 | C | Minor 2nd |
| ♭3 | D | Minor 3rd |
| 3 | D# | Major 3rd |
| ♭5 | F | Tritone (♭5) |
| 5 | F# | Perfect 5th |
| 6 | G# | Major 6th |
| ♭7 | A | Minor 7th |
Where to play the B Diminished Scale (Half-Whole) on 6-string bass
Frets 0–12 in standard tuning (B E A D G C), lowest string first. Root notes (B) are highlighted; the pattern repeats from the 12th fret up.
| String | Frets |
|---|---|
| B0 | 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12 |
| E1 | 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11 |
| A1 | 0, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12 |
| D2 | 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12 |
| G2 | 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11 |
| C3 | 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 B Diminished Scale (Half-Whole)
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 (Whole-Half)
- 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)