About the A#/Bb Diminished Scale (Half-Whole)
The A#/Bb diminished scale is a 8-note scale. Symmetric scale alternating half and whole steps, used over dominant 7th chords. Its notes are A#, B, C#, D, E, F, G and G#, built from the formula 1 ♭2 ♭3 3 ♭5 5 6 ♭7.
- Notes
- A# – B – C# – D – E – F – G – G#
- 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
- A#/Bb
A#/Bb Diminished Scale (Half-Whole) degrees and intervals
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A# | Root |
| ♭2 | B | Minor 2nd |
| ♭3 | C# | Minor 3rd |
| 3 | D | Major 3rd |
| ♭5 | E | Tritone (♭5) |
| 5 | F | Perfect 5th |
| 6 | G | Major 6th |
| ♭7 | G# | Minor 7th |
Where to play the A#/Bb Diminished Scale (Half-Whole) on ukulele
Frets 0–12 in standard tuning (G C E A), lowest string first. Root notes (A#) are highlighted; the pattern repeats from the 12th fret up.
| String | Frets |
|---|---|
| G4 | 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12 |
| C4 | 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11 |
| E4 | 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12 |
| A4 | 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11 |
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 A#/Bb Diminished Scale (Half-Whole)
These scales share every note with the A#/Bb diminished scale but start from a different root, so the same shapes work over different chords.
Diminished 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 (Whole-Half)
- A#/Bb Whole Tone
- 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)