D diminished (whole-half) scale on guitar
The D diminished (whole-half) scale has 8 notes: D E F G A♭ B♭ B C♯ (D, E, F, G, A flat, B flat, B, and C sharp). The diagrams work the same for acoustic and electric guitar.
- D 1
- E 2
- F ♭3
- G 4
- A♭ A flat ♭5
- B♭ B flat ♭6
- B 6
- C♯ C sharp 7
Whole neck: every note of the scale up to fret 15. The root (D) is highlighted.
Positions as text
Position 3 (frets 0 to 4), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 6: 1 (F), 3 (G), 4 (A♭)
- string 5: 1 (B♭), 2 (B), 4 (C♯)
- string 4: open (D), 2 (E), 3 (F)
- string 3: open (G), 1 (A♭), 3 (B♭)
- string 2: open (B), 2 (C♯), 3 (D)
- string 1: open (E), 1 (F), 3 (G)
Position 4 (frets 2 to 6), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 6: 3 (G), 4 (A♭), 6 (B♭)
- string 5: 2 (B), 4 (C♯), 5 (D)
- string 4: 2 (E), 3 (F), 5 (G), 6 (A♭)
- string 3: 3 (B♭), 4 (B), 6 (C♯)
- string 2: 3 (D), 5 (E), 6 (F)
- string 1: 3 (G), 4 (A♭), 6 (B♭)
Position 5 (frets 3 to 7), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 6: 4 (A♭), 6 (B♭), 7 (B)
- string 5: 4 (C♯), 5 (D), 7 (E)
- string 4: 3 (F), 5 (G), 6 (A♭)
- string 3: 3 (B♭), 4 (B), 6 (C♯)
- string 2: 3 (D), 5 (E), 6 (F)
- string 1: 3 (G), 4 (A♭), 6 (B♭)
Position 6 (frets 5 to 9), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 6: 6 (B♭), 7 (B), 9 (C♯)
- string 5: 5 (D), 7 (E), 8 (F)
- string 4: 5 (G), 6 (A♭), 8 (B♭), 9 (B)
- string 3: 6 (C♯), 7 (D), 9 (E)
- string 2: 6 (F), 8 (G), 9 (A♭)
- string 1: 6 (B♭), 7 (B), 9 (C♯)
Position 7 (frets 6 to 10), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 6: 7 (B), 9 (C♯), 10 (D)
- string 5: 7 (E), 8 (F), 10 (G)
- string 4: 6 (A♭), 8 (B♭), 9 (B)
- string 3: 6 (C♯), 7 (D), 9 (E)
- string 2: 6 (F), 8 (G), 9 (A♭)
- string 1: 6 (B♭), 7 (B), 9 (C♯)
Position 8 (frets 8 to 12), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 6: 9 (C♯), 10 (D), 12 (E)
- string 5: 8 (F), 10 (G), 11 (A♭)
- string 4: 8 (B♭), 9 (B), 11 (C♯), 12 (D)
- string 3: 9 (E), 10 (F), 12 (G)
- string 2: 9 (A♭), 11 (B♭), 12 (B)
- string 1: 9 (C♯), 10 (D), 12 (E)
Position 1 (frets 9 to 13), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 6: 10 (D), 12 (E), 13 (F)
- string 5: 10 (G), 11 (A♭), 13 (B♭)
- string 4: 9 (B), 11 (C♯), 12 (D)
- string 3: 9 (E), 10 (F), 12 (G)
- string 2: 9 (A♭), 11 (B♭), 12 (B)
- string 1: 9 (C♯), 10 (D), 12 (E)
Position 2 (frets 11 to 15), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 6: 12 (E), 13 (F), 15 (G)
- string 5: 11 (A♭), 13 (B♭), 14 (B)
- string 4: 11 (C♯), 12 (D), 14 (E), 15 (F)
- string 3: 12 (G), 13 (A♭), 15 (B♭)
- string 2: 12 (B), 14 (C♯), 15 (D)
- string 1: 12 (E), 13 (F), 15 (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 (D).
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
- H
- F
- W
- G
- H
- A♭
- W
- B♭
- H
- B
- W
- C♯
- H
- D
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 D 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)
Diminished (whole-half) in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the D diminished (whole-half) scale?
The notes of the D diminished (whole-half) scale are D, E, F, G, A flat, B flat, B, and C sharp. The root, degree 1, is D.
What is the formula of the D 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 D 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 (D). There are 8 positions on guitar, each with the full fingering.