A dominant diminished (half-whole) scale on bass
The A dominant diminished (half-whole) scale has 8 notes: A B♭ C C♯ D♯ E F♯ G (A, B flat, C, C sharp, D sharp, E, F sharp, and G).
- A 1
- B♭ B flat ♭2
- C ♭3
- C♯ C sharp 3
- D♯ D sharp ♯4
- E 5
- F♯ F sharp 6
- G ♭7
Whole neck: every note of the scale up to fret 15. The root (A) is highlighted.
Positions as text
Position 7 (frets 1 to 5), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 2 (F♯), 3 (G), 5 (A)
- string 3: 1 (B♭), 3 (C), 4 (C♯)
- string 2: 1 (D♯), 2 (E), 4 (F♯), 5 (G)
- string 1: 2 (A), 3 (B♭), 5 (C)
Position 8 (frets 2 to 6), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 3 (G), 5 (A), 6 (B♭)
- string 3: 3 (C), 4 (C♯), 6 (D♯)
- string 2: 2 (E), 4 (F♯), 5 (G)
- string 1: 2 (A), 3 (B♭), 5 (C)
Position 1 (frets 4 to 8), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 5 (A), 6 (B♭), 8 (C)
- string 3: 4 (C♯), 6 (D♯), 7 (E)
- string 2: 4 (F♯), 5 (G), 7 (A), 8 (B♭)
- string 1: 5 (C), 6 (C♯), 8 (D♯)
Position 2 (frets 5 to 9), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 6 (B♭), 8 (C), 9 (C♯)
- string 3: 6 (D♯), 7 (E), 9 (F♯)
- string 2: 5 (G), 7 (A), 8 (B♭)
- string 1: 5 (C), 6 (C♯), 8 (D♯)
Position 3 (frets 7 to 11), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 8 (C), 9 (C♯), 11 (D♯)
- string 3: 7 (E), 9 (F♯), 10 (G)
- string 2: 7 (A), 8 (B♭), 10 (C), 11 (C♯)
- string 1: 8 (D♯), 9 (E), 11 (F♯)
Position 4 (frets 8 to 12), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 9 (C♯), 11 (D♯), 12 (E)
- string 3: 9 (F♯), 10 (G), 12 (A)
- string 2: 8 (B♭), 10 (C), 11 (C♯)
- string 1: 8 (D♯), 9 (E), 11 (F♯)
Position 5 (frets 10 to 14), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 11 (D♯), 12 (E), 14 (F♯)
- string 3: 10 (G), 12 (A), 13 (B♭)
- string 2: 10 (C), 11 (C♯), 13 (D♯), 14 (E)
- string 1: 11 (F♯), 12 (G), 14 (A)
Position 6 (frets 11 to 15), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 12 (E), 14 (F♯), 15 (G)
- string 3: 12 (A), 13 (B♭), 15 (C)
- string 2: 11 (C♯), 13 (D♯), 14 (E)
- string 1: 11 (F♯), 12 (G), 14 (A)
Fretboard positions
Each position fits within 5 frets, with 2 to 3 notes per string, and starts on a scale note on the lowest string. Position 1 starts on the root (A).
Use Degrees to see the role of each note (1 is the root) and Listen to hear the selected position going up and down.
Formula
- A
- H
- B♭
- W
- C
- H
- C♯
- W
- D♯
- H
- E
- W
- F♯
- H
- G
- W
- A
Degrees: 1 · ♭2 · ♭3 · 3 · ♯4 · 5 · 6 · ♭7. Steps: H – W – H – W – H – W – H – W (W = whole step, H = half step).
About the dominant diminished (half-whole) scale
Alternates half and whole steps. Used over dominant chords with an altered 9th, in jazz.
Scales with the same notes
More A scales
- Major
- Natural minor
- Harmonic minor
- Melodic minor
- Major pentatonic
- Minor pentatonic
- Blues
- Major blues
- Dorian
- Phrygian
- Lydian
- Mixolydian
- Locrian
- Nordestina (Brazilian baião)
- Phrygian dominant
- Whole-tone
- Diminished (whole-half)
- Dominant diminished (half-whole)
Dominant diminished (half-whole) in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the A dominant diminished (half-whole) scale?
The notes of the A dominant diminished (half-whole) scale are A, B flat, C, C sharp, D sharp, E, F sharp, and G. The root, degree 1, is A.
What is the formula of the A dominant diminished (half-whole) scale?
In degrees: 1 · ♭2 · ♭3 · 3 · ♯4 · 5 · 6 · ♭7. In steps between the notes: H – W – H – W – H – W – H – W (W = whole step, H = half step).
How do you play the A dominant diminished (half-whole) scale on bass?
Each position fits within 5 frets, with 2 to 3 notes per string, and starts on a scale note on the lowest string. Position 1 starts on the root (A). There are 8 positions on bass, each with the full fingering.