F sharp diminished (whole-half) scale on cavaquinho
The F sharp diminished (whole-half) scale has 8 notes: F♯ G♯ A B C D D♯ E♯ (F sharp, G sharp, A, B, C, D, D sharp, and E sharp).
- F♯ F sharp 1
- G♯ G sharp 2
- A ♭3
- B 4
- C ♭5
- D ♭6
- D♯ D sharp 6
- E♯ E sharp 7
Whole neck: every note of the scale up to fret 17. The root (F♯) is highlighted.
Positions as text
Position 8 (frets 2 to 7), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 3 (E♯), 4 (F♯), 6 (G♯)
- string 3: 2 (A), 4 (B), 5 (C)
- string 2: 3 (D), 4 (D♯), 6 (E♯)
- string 1: 4 (F♯), 6 (G♯), 7 (A)
Position 1 (frets 4 to 7), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 4 (F♯), 6 (G♯), 7 (A)
- string 3: 4 (B), 5 (C), 7 (D)
- string 2: 4 (D♯), 6 (E♯), 7 (F♯)
- string 1: 6 (G♯), 7 (A)
Position 2 (frets 5 to 10), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 6 (G♯), 7 (A), 9 (B)
- string 3: 5 (C), 7 (D), 8 (D♯)
- string 2: 6 (E♯), 7 (F♯), 9 (G♯)
- string 1: 7 (A), 9 (B), 10 (C)
Position 3 (frets 7 to 10), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 7 (A), 9 (B), 10 (C)
- string 3: 7 (D), 8 (D♯), 10 (E♯)
- string 2: 7 (F♯), 9 (G♯), 10 (A)
- string 1: 9 (B), 10 (C)
Position 4 (frets 8 to 13), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 9 (B), 10 (C), 12 (D)
- string 3: 8 (D♯), 10 (E♯), 11 (F♯)
- string 2: 9 (G♯), 10 (A), 12 (B)
- string 1: 10 (C), 12 (D), 13 (D♯)
Position 5 (frets 10 to 13), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 10 (C), 12 (D), 13 (D♯)
- string 3: 10 (E♯), 11 (F♯), 13 (G♯)
- string 2: 10 (A), 12 (B), 13 (C)
- string 1: 12 (D), 13 (D♯)
Position 6 (frets 11 to 16), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 12 (D), 13 (D♯), 15 (E♯)
- string 3: 11 (F♯), 13 (G♯), 14 (A)
- string 2: 12 (B), 13 (C), 15 (D)
- string 1: 13 (D♯), 15 (E♯), 16 (F♯)
Position 7 (frets 13 to 16), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 13 (D♯), 15 (E♯), 16 (F♯)
- string 3: 13 (G♯), 14 (A), 16 (B)
- string 2: 13 (C), 15 (D), 16 (D♯)
- string 1: 15 (E♯), 16 (F♯)
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 (F sharp).
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
- F♯
- W
- G♯
- H
- A
- W
- B
- H
- C
- W
- D
- H
- D♯
- W
- E♯
- H
- F♯
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 F sharp scales
- Major
- Natural minor
- Harmonic minor
- Melodic minor
- Major pentatonic
- Minor pentatonic
- Blues
- Major blues
- Dorian
- Phrygian
- Lydian (G♭)
- Mixolydian
- Locrian
- Nordestina (Brazilian baião)
- Phrygian dominant
- Whole-tone (G♭)
- Diminished (whole-half)
- Dominant diminished (half-whole)
Diminished (whole-half) in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the F sharp diminished (whole-half) scale?
The notes of the F sharp diminished (whole-half) scale are F sharp, G sharp, A, B, C, D, D sharp, and E sharp. The root, degree 1, is F sharp.
What is the formula of the F sharp 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 F sharp diminished (whole-half) 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 (F sharp). There are 8 positions on cavaquinho, each with the full fingering.