About the C#/Db Diminished Scale (Half-Whole)
The C#/Db diminished scale is a 8-note scale. Symmetric scale alternating half and whole steps, used over dominant 7th chords. Its notes are C#, D, E, F, G, G#, A# and B, built from the formula 1 ♭2 ♭3 3 ♭5 5 6 ♭7.
- Notes
- C# – D – E – F – G – G# – A# – B
- 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#/Db
C#/Db Diminished Scale (Half-Whole) degrees and intervals
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | C# | Root |
| ♭2 | D | Minor 2nd |
| ♭3 | E | Minor 3rd |
| 3 | F | Major 3rd |
| ♭5 | G | Tritone (♭5) |
| 5 | G# | Perfect 5th |
| 6 | A# | Major 6th |
| ♭7 | B | Minor 7th |
Where to play the C#/Db Diminished Scale (Half-Whole) on guitar
Frets 0–12 in standard tuning (E A D G B E), lowest string first. Root notes (C#) are highlighted; the pattern repeats from the 12th fret up.
| String | Frets |
|---|---|
| E2 | 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12 |
| A2 | 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11 |
| D3 | 0, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12 |
| G3 | 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12 |
| B3 | 0, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12 |
| E4 | 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 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#/Db Diminished Scale (Half-Whole)
These scales share every note with the C#/Db 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#/Db
- C#/Db Minor Pentatonic
- C#/Db Major Pentatonic
- C#/Db Mixolydian Pentatonic
- C#/Db Natural Minor
- C#/Db Major (Ionian)
- C#/Db Blues
- C#/Db Dorian
- C#/Db Mixolydian
- C#/Db Phrygian
- C#/Db Harmonic Minor
- C#/Db Lydian
- C#/Db Locrian
- C#/Db Diminished (Whole-Half)
- C#/Db Whole Tone
- C#/Db Augmented (Hexatonic)
- C#/Db Altered (Super Locrian)
- C#/Db Phrygian Dominant
- C#/Db Lydian Dominant
- C#/Db Mixolydian ♭6 (Hindu)
- C#/Db Bebop Dominant
- C#/Db Quartal (Stacked 4ths)
- C#/Db Quartal Minor (Stacked 4ths)