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Cavaquinho Standard
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A dominant diminished (half-whole) scale on cavaquinho

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).

  1. A 1
  2. B♭ B flat ♭2
  3. C ♭3
  4. C♯ C sharp 3
  5. D♯ D sharp ♯4
  6. E 5
  7. F♯ F sharp 6
  8. G ♭7
A dominant diminished (half-whole) scale on cavaquinho: the whole fretboard with the notes A, Bb, C, C#, D#, E, F#, G, from fret 0 to 17

Whole neck: every note of the scale up to fret 17. The root (A) is highlighted.

Positions as text

Position 7 (frets 3 to 8), from the lowest note to the highest:

  • string 4: 4 (F♯), 5 (G), 7 (A)
  • string 3: 3 (B♭), 5 (C), 6 (C♯)
  • string 2: 4 (D♯), 5 (E), 7 (F♯)
  • string 1: 5 (G), 7 (A), 8 (B♭)

Position 8 (frets 5 to 8), from the lowest note to the highest:

  • string 4: 5 (G), 7 (A), 8 (B♭)
  • string 3: 5 (C), 6 (C♯), 8 (D♯)
  • string 2: 5 (E), 7 (F♯), 8 (G)
  • string 1: 7 (A), 8 (B♭)

Position 1 (frets 6 to 11), from the lowest note to the highest:

  • string 4: 7 (A), 8 (B♭), 10 (C)
  • string 3: 6 (C♯), 8 (D♯), 9 (E)
  • string 2: 7 (F♯), 8 (G), 10 (A)
  • string 1: 8 (B♭), 10 (C), 11 (C♯)

Position 2 (frets 8 to 11), from the lowest note to the highest:

  • string 4: 8 (B♭), 10 (C), 11 (C♯)
  • string 3: 8 (D♯), 9 (E), 11 (F♯)
  • string 2: 8 (G), 10 (A), 11 (B♭)
  • string 1: 10 (C), 11 (C♯)

Position 3 (frets 9 to 14), from the lowest note to the highest:

  • string 4: 10 (C), 11 (C♯), 13 (D♯)
  • string 3: 9 (E), 11 (F♯), 12 (G)
  • string 2: 10 (A), 11 (B♭), 13 (C)
  • string 1: 11 (C♯), 13 (D♯), 14 (E)

Position 4 (frets 11 to 14), from the lowest note to the highest:

  • string 4: 11 (C♯), 13 (D♯), 14 (E)
  • string 3: 11 (F♯), 12 (G), 14 (A)
  • string 2: 11 (B♭), 13 (C), 14 (C♯)
  • string 1: 13 (D♯), 14 (E)

Position 5 (frets 12 to 17), from the lowest note to the highest:

  • string 4: 13 (D♯), 14 (E), 16 (F♯)
  • string 3: 12 (G), 14 (A), 15 (B♭)
  • string 2: 13 (C), 14 (C♯), 16 (D♯)
  • string 1: 14 (E), 16 (F♯), 17 (G)

Position 6 (frets 14 to 17), from the lowest note to the highest:

  • string 4: 14 (E), 16 (F♯), 17 (G)
  • string 3: 14 (A), 15 (B♭), 17 (C)
  • string 2: 14 (C♯), 16 (D♯), 17 (E)
  • string 1: 16 (F♯), 17 (G)

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

  1. A
  2. H
  3. B♭
  4. W
  5. C
  6. H
  7. C♯
  8. W
  9. D♯
  10. H
  11. E
  12. W
  13. F♯
  14. H
  15. G
  16. W
  17. 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

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 cavaquinho?

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 cavaquinho, each with the full fingering.

On other instruments

All scales on cavaquinho