B diminished (whole-half) scale on bass
The B diminished (whole-half) scale has 8 notes: B C♯ D E F G G♯ A♯ (B, C sharp, D, E, F, G, G sharp, and A sharp).
- B 1
- C♯ C sharp 2
- D ♭3
- E 4
- F ♭5
- G ♭6
- G♯ G sharp 6
- A♯ A sharp 7
Whole neck: every note of the scale up to fret 15. The root (B) is highlighted.
Positions as text
Position 5 (frets 0 to 4), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 1 (F), 3 (G), 4 (G♯)
- string 3: 1 (A♯), 2 (B), 4 (C♯)
- string 2: open (D), 2 (E), 3 (F)
- string 1: open (G), 1 (G♯), 3 (A♯)
Position 6 (frets 2 to 6), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 3 (G), 4 (G♯), 6 (A♯)
- string 3: 2 (B), 4 (C♯), 5 (D)
- string 2: 2 (E), 3 (F), 5 (G), 6 (G♯)
- string 1: 3 (A♯), 4 (B), 6 (C♯)
Position 7 (frets 3 to 7), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 4 (G♯), 6 (A♯), 7 (B)
- string 3: 4 (C♯), 5 (D), 7 (E)
- string 2: 3 (F), 5 (G), 6 (G♯)
- string 1: 3 (A♯), 4 (B), 6 (C♯)
Position 8 (frets 5 to 9), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 6 (A♯), 7 (B), 9 (C♯)
- string 3: 5 (D), 7 (E), 8 (F)
- string 2: 5 (G), 6 (G♯), 8 (A♯), 9 (B)
- string 1: 6 (C♯), 7 (D), 9 (E)
Position 1 (frets 6 to 10), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 7 (B), 9 (C♯), 10 (D)
- string 3: 7 (E), 8 (F), 10 (G)
- string 2: 6 (G♯), 8 (A♯), 9 (B)
- string 1: 6 (C♯), 7 (D), 9 (E)
Position 2 (frets 8 to 12), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 9 (C♯), 10 (D), 12 (E)
- string 3: 8 (F), 10 (G), 11 (G♯)
- string 2: 8 (A♯), 9 (B), 11 (C♯), 12 (D)
- string 1: 9 (E), 10 (F), 12 (G)
Position 3 (frets 9 to 13), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 10 (D), 12 (E), 13 (F)
- string 3: 10 (G), 11 (G♯), 13 (A♯)
- string 2: 9 (B), 11 (C♯), 12 (D)
- string 1: 9 (E), 10 (F), 12 (G)
Position 4 (frets 11 to 15), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 12 (E), 13 (F), 15 (G)
- string 3: 11 (G♯), 13 (A♯), 14 (B)
- string 2: 11 (C♯), 12 (D), 14 (E), 15 (F)
- string 1: 12 (G), 13 (G♯), 15 (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 (B).
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
- B
- W
- C♯
- H
- D
- W
- E
- H
- F
- W
- G
- H
- G♯
- W
- A♯
- H
- B
Degrees: 1 · 2 · ♭3 · 4 · ♭5 · ♭6 · 6 · 7. Steps: W – H – W – H – W – H – W – H (W = whole step, H = half step).
About the diminished (whole-half) scale
Alternates whole and half steps. Used over diminished chords.
Scales with the same notes
More B 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)
Diminished (whole-half) in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the B diminished (whole-half) scale?
The notes of the B diminished (whole-half) scale are B, C sharp, D, E, F, G, G sharp, and A sharp. The root, degree 1, is B.
What is the formula of the B diminished (whole-half) scale?
In degrees: 1 · 2 · ♭3 · 4 · ♭5 · ♭6 · 6 · 7. In steps between the notes: W – H – W – H – W – H – W – H (W = whole step, H = half step).
How do you play the B diminished (whole-half) 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 (B). There are 8 positions on bass, each with the full fingering.