fuaranScale Mastery
SCALE · ON TENOR HORN

E♯ Diminished Half Whole

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

MEIMIDIHumdrum
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Meter:Octave per barCrotchets in 4/4Quavers in 4/4Triplets in 4/4
Engraved by Verovio 6.2.0-43f8060 3 5 title E♯ Diminished (Half-Whole)
Engraved by Verovio 6.2.0-43f8060 2 3 4 5 title E♯ Diminished (Half-Whole)
Verovio
Tempo120 bpm

Playback sounds a major 6th below the written notation — the instrument's concert (sounding) pitch.

Audio source: synthesised in-browser via Tone.js (MIT)

FingeringFollows the scale as it plays — written pitch, matches the staff
E♯123partial 3
Harmonic seriesTube of the tonic fingering — E♯ sounds partial 3
partial 1 — A♯2 (+0¢)1partial 2 — A♯3 (+0¢)2partial 3 — F4 (+2¢)3partial 4 — A♯4 (+0¢)4partial 5 — D5 (-14¢)5partial 6 — F5 (+2¢)6partial 7 — G♯5 (-31¢)7-31¢partial 8 — A♯5 (+0¢)8
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 E♯ Diminished Half Whole scale?

The E♯ Diminished Half Whole scale uses the notes E♯, F♯, G♯, G𝄪, A𝄪, B♯, C𝄪, D♯ (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 E♯ to get the E♯ Diminished Half Whole scale.

What chords work over E♯ 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 E♯ Diminished Half Whole on Tenor Horn?

On brass, scales train embouchure + valve / slide coordination across the partials. Slow practice with a tuner reveals intonation tendencies (e.g., the 5th partial sharp on trumpet).

When would I use the Diminished Half Whole scale?

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