C dominant diminished (half-whole) scale on cavaquinho
The C dominant diminished (half-whole) scale has 8 notes: C D♭ E♭ E F♯ G A B♭ (C, D flat, E flat, E, F sharp, G, A, and B flat).
- C 1
- D♭ D flat ♭2
- E♭ E flat ♭3
- E 3
- F♯ F sharp ♯4
- G 5
- A 6
- B♭ B flat ♭7
Whole neck: every note of the scale up to fret 17. The root (C) is highlighted.
Positions as text
Position 5 (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 (D♭)
- string 2: 4 (E♭), 5 (E), 7 (F♯)
- string 1: 5 (G), 7 (A), 8 (B♭)
Position 6 (frets 5 to 8), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 5 (G), 7 (A), 8 (B♭)
- string 3: 5 (C), 6 (D♭), 8 (E♭)
- string 2: 5 (E), 7 (F♯), 8 (G)
- string 1: 7 (A), 8 (B♭)
Position 7 (frets 6 to 11), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 7 (A), 8 (B♭), 10 (C)
- string 3: 6 (D♭), 8 (E♭), 9 (E)
- string 2: 7 (F♯), 8 (G), 10 (A)
- string 1: 8 (B♭), 10 (C), 11 (D♭)
Position 8 (frets 8 to 11), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 8 (B♭), 10 (C), 11 (D♭)
- string 3: 8 (E♭), 9 (E), 11 (F♯)
- string 2: 8 (G), 10 (A), 11 (B♭)
- string 1: 10 (C), 11 (D♭)
Position 1 (frets 9 to 14), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 10 (C), 11 (D♭), 13 (E♭)
- string 3: 9 (E), 11 (F♯), 12 (G)
- string 2: 10 (A), 11 (B♭), 13 (C)
- string 1: 11 (D♭), 13 (E♭), 14 (E)
Position 2 (frets 11 to 14), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 11 (D♭), 13 (E♭), 14 (E)
- string 3: 11 (F♯), 12 (G), 14 (A)
- string 2: 11 (B♭), 13 (C), 14 (D♭)
- string 1: 13 (E♭), 14 (E)
Position 3 (frets 12 to 17), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 13 (E♭), 14 (E), 16 (F♯)
- string 3: 12 (G), 14 (A), 15 (B♭)
- string 2: 13 (C), 14 (D♭), 16 (E♭)
- string 1: 14 (E), 16 (F♯), 17 (G)
Position 4 (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 (D♭), 16 (E♭), 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 (C).
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
- C
- H
- D♭
- W
- E♭
- H
- E
- W
- F♯
- H
- G
- W
- A
- H
- B♭
- W
- C
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 C 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 C dominant diminished (half-whole) scale?
The notes of the C dominant diminished (half-whole) scale are C, D flat, E flat, E, F sharp, G, A, and B flat. The root, degree 1, is C.
What is the formula of the C 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 C 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 (C). There are 8 positions on cavaquinho, each with the full fingering.