B flat dominant diminished (half-whole) scale on bass
The B flat dominant diminished (half-whole) scale has 8 notes: B♭ C♭ D♭ D E F G A♭ (B flat, C flat, D flat, D, E, F, G, and A flat).
- B♭ B flat 1
- C♭ C flat ♭2
- D♭ D flat ♭3
- D 3
- E ♯4
- F 5
- G 6
- A♭ A flat ♭7
Whole neck: every note of the scale up to fret 15. The root (B♭) is highlighted.
Positions as text
Position 6 (frets 0 to 4), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 1 (F), 3 (G), 4 (A♭)
- string 3: 1 (B♭), 2 (C♭), 4 (D♭)
- string 2: open (D), 2 (E), 3 (F)
- string 1: open (G), 1 (A♭), 3 (B♭)
Position 7 (frets 2 to 6), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 3 (G), 4 (A♭), 6 (B♭)
- string 3: 2 (C♭), 4 (D♭), 5 (D)
- string 2: 2 (E), 3 (F), 5 (G), 6 (A♭)
- string 1: 3 (B♭), 4 (C♭), 6 (D♭)
Position 8 (frets 3 to 7), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 4 (A♭), 6 (B♭), 7 (C♭)
- string 3: 4 (D♭), 5 (D), 7 (E)
- string 2: 3 (F), 5 (G), 6 (A♭)
- string 1: 3 (B♭), 4 (C♭), 6 (D♭)
Position 1 (frets 5 to 9), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 6 (B♭), 7 (C♭), 9 (D♭)
- string 3: 5 (D), 7 (E), 8 (F)
- string 2: 5 (G), 6 (A♭), 8 (B♭), 9 (C♭)
- string 1: 6 (D♭), 7 (D), 9 (E)
Position 2 (frets 6 to 10), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 7 (C♭), 9 (D♭), 10 (D)
- string 3: 7 (E), 8 (F), 10 (G)
- string 2: 6 (A♭), 8 (B♭), 9 (C♭)
- string 1: 6 (D♭), 7 (D), 9 (E)
Position 3 (frets 8 to 12), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 9 (D♭), 10 (D), 12 (E)
- string 3: 8 (F), 10 (G), 11 (A♭)
- string 2: 8 (B♭), 9 (C♭), 11 (D♭), 12 (D)
- string 1: 9 (E), 10 (F), 12 (G)
Position 4 (frets 9 to 13), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 10 (D), 12 (E), 13 (F)
- string 3: 10 (G), 11 (A♭), 13 (B♭)
- string 2: 9 (C♭), 11 (D♭), 12 (D)
- string 1: 9 (E), 10 (F), 12 (G)
Position 5 (frets 11 to 15), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 12 (E), 13 (F), 15 (G)
- string 3: 11 (A♭), 13 (B♭), 14 (C♭)
- string 2: 11 (D♭), 12 (D), 14 (E), 15 (F)
- string 1: 12 (G), 13 (A♭), 15 (B♭)
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 flat).
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♭
- H
- C♭
- W
- D♭
- H
- D
- W
- E
- H
- F
- W
- G
- H
- A♭
- W
- B♭
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 B flat scales
- Major
- Natural minor
- Harmonic minor
- Melodic minor
- Major pentatonic
- Minor pentatonic
- Blues
- Major blues
- Dorian
- Phrygian
- Lydian
- Mixolydian
- Locrian (A♯)
- 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 B flat dominant diminished (half-whole) scale?
The notes of the B flat dominant diminished (half-whole) scale are B flat, C flat, D flat, D, E, F, G, and A flat. The root, degree 1, is B flat.
What is the formula of the B flat 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 B flat 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 (B flat). There are 8 positions on bass, each with the full fingering.