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