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