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