fuaranScale Mastery
SCALE · ON GUITAR

B♭ Diminished Half Whole

Octatonic — half-whole-half-whole. Modern jazz over dominant 7th chords; symmetric every minor 3rd.

MEIMIDIHumdrum
Choose a root
Tempo120 bpm

Playback sounds an octave below the written notation — the instrument's concert (sounding) pitch.

Audio source: tonejs-instruments by Nick Brosowsky (MIT)

Engraved by Verovio 6.2.0-43f8060 5 title B♭ Diminished (Half-Whole) Verovio
Tuning
FretboardTuning: Eb-Ab-Db-Gb-Bb-Eb
35791215D♯A♭D♭F♯B♭D♯EFGA♭B♭C♭D♭DEFA♭B♭C♭D♭DEFGA♭B♭C♭D♭DEFGA♭B♭C♭D♭DEGA♭B♭C♭D♭DEFGA♭B♭C♭D♭DEFGA♭B♭C♭D♭EFGA♭B♭C♭D♭DEF
Related scales
Same scale, other instruments
Same scale, other tonics
Modes built on this tonic
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Theory reference
Questions
What notes are in the B♭ Diminished Half Whole scale?

The B♭ Diminished Half Whole scale uses the notes B♭, C♭, D♭, D, E, F, G, A♭ (one octave; the pattern repeats at higher registers).

What's the Diminished Half Whole scale formula?

The Diminished Half Whole scale follows the interval pattern H W H W H W H W, where W = whole step (2 semitones) and H = half step (1 semitone). Apply that pattern starting on B♭ to get the B♭ Diminished Half Whole scale.

What chords work over B♭ Diminished Half Whole?

Try chord pairings derived from the scale's third, fifth, and seventh degrees as roots — they share the most diatonic notes.

How do I finger B♭ Diminished Half Whole on Guitar?

On guitar, scales are typically learned as position patterns — three- or four-notes-per-string shapes that move up the neck. The CAGED system positions each scale in five interconnected patterns; the three-notes-per-string approach simplifies modal scales.

When would I use the Diminished Half Whole scale?

Octatonic — half-whole-half-whole. Modern jazz over dominant 7th chords; symmetric every minor 3rd.