About the C Diminished Scale (Whole-Half)
The C diminished scale is a 8-note scale. Symmetric scale alternating whole and half steps, used over diminished chords. Its notes are C, D, D#, F, F#, G#, A and B, built from the formula 1 2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 6 7.
- Notes
- C – D – D# – F – F# – G# – A – B
- Formula
- 1 2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 6 7
- Steps
- W H W H W H W H (2–1–2–1–2–1–2–1 semitones)
- Root
- C
C Diminished Scale (Whole-Half) degrees and intervals
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | Root |
| 2 | D | Major 2nd |
| ♭3 | D# | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | F | Perfect 4th |
| ♭5 | F# | Tritone (♭5) |
| ♭6 | G# | Minor 6th |
| 6 | A | Major 6th |
| 7 | B | Major 7th |
Where to play the C Diminished Scale (Whole-Half) on ukulele
Frets 0–12 in standard tuning (G C E A), lowest string first. Root notes (C) are highlighted; the pattern repeats from the 12th fret up.
| String | Frets |
|---|---|
| G4 | 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11 |
| C4 | 0, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12 |
| E4 | 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11 |
| A4 | 0, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12 |
How to practice the diminished scale
- Learn the repeating 2-fret pattern
- Use over dim7 chords and passing diminished
- Practice diminished 7th arpeggios within scale
- Work on bebop-style enclosures
- Transpose in minor 3rds to see symmetry
Scales with the same notes as C Diminished Scale (Whole-Half)
These scales share every note with the C 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
- C Minor Pentatonic
- C Major Pentatonic
- C Mixolydian Pentatonic
- C Natural Minor
- C Major (Ionian)
- C Blues
- C Dorian
- C Mixolydian
- C Phrygian
- C Harmonic Minor
- C Lydian
- C Locrian
- C Diminished (Half-Whole)
- C Whole Tone
- C Augmented (Hexatonic)
- C Altered (Super Locrian)
- C Phrygian Dominant
- C Lydian Dominant
- C Mixolydian ♭6 (Hindu)
- C Bebop Dominant
- C Quartal (Stacked 4ths)
- C Quartal Minor (Stacked 4ths)