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