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Guitar Standard
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A diminished (whole-half) scale on guitar

The A diminished (whole-half) scale has 8 notes: A B C D E♭ F F♯ G♯ (A, B, C, D, E flat, F, F sharp, and G sharp). The diagrams work the same for acoustic and electric guitar.

  1. A 1
  2. B 2
  3. C ♭3
  4. D 4
  5. E♭ E flat ♭5
  6. F ♭6
  7. F♯ F sharp 6
  8. G♯ G sharp 7
A diminished (whole-half) scale on guitar: the whole fretboard with the notes A, B, C, D, Eb, F, F#, G#, from fret 0 to 15

Whole neck: every note of the scale up to fret 15. The root (A) is highlighted.

Positions as text

Position 6 (frets 0 to 4), from the lowest note to the highest:

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

Position 7 (frets 1 to 5), from the lowest note to the highest:

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

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

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

Position 1 (frets 4 to 8), from the lowest note to the highest:

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

Position 2 (frets 6 to 10), from the lowest note to the highest:

  • string 6: 7 (B), 8 (C), 10 (D)
  • string 5: 6 (E♭), 8 (F), 9 (F♯)
  • string 4: 6 (G♯), 7 (A), 9 (B), 10 (C)
  • string 3: 7 (D), 8 (E♭), 10 (F)
  • string 2: 7 (F♯), 9 (G♯), 10 (A)
  • string 1: 7 (B), 8 (C), 10 (D)

Position 3 (frets 7 to 11), from the lowest note to the highest:

  • string 6: 8 (C), 10 (D), 11 (E♭)
  • string 5: 8 (F), 9 (F♯), 11 (G♯)
  • string 4: 7 (A), 9 (B), 10 (C)
  • string 3: 7 (D), 8 (E♭), 10 (F)
  • string 2: 7 (F♯), 9 (G♯), 10 (A)
  • string 1: 7 (B), 8 (C), 10 (D)

Position 4 (frets 9 to 13), from the lowest note to the highest:

  • string 6: 10 (D), 11 (E♭), 13 (F)
  • string 5: 9 (F♯), 11 (G♯), 12 (A)
  • string 4: 9 (B), 10 (C), 12 (D), 13 (E♭)
  • string 3: 10 (F), 11 (F♯), 13 (G♯)
  • string 2: 10 (A), 12 (B), 13 (C)
  • string 1: 10 (D), 11 (E♭), 13 (F)

Position 5 (frets 10 to 14), from the lowest note to the highest:

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

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 A scales

Diminished (whole-half) in other keys

Frequently asked questions

What are the notes of the A diminished (whole-half) scale?

The notes of the A diminished (whole-half) scale are A, B, C, D, E flat, F, F sharp, and G sharp. The root, degree 1, is A.

What is the formula of the A 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 A diminished (whole-half) scale on guitar?

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 guitar, each with the full fingering.

On other instruments

All scales on guitar