E diminished (whole-half) scale on ukulele
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).
- 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 8 (frets 3 to 7), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 3: 3 (D♯), 4 (E), 6 (F♯)
- string 2: 3 (G), 5 (A), 6 (B♭)
- string 4: 5 (C), 6 (C♯)
- string 1: 6 (D♯), 7 (E)
Position 1 (frets 4 to 8), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 3: 4 (E), 6 (F♯), 7 (G)
- string 2: 5 (A), 6 (B♭), 8 (C)
- string 4: 6 (C♯), 8 (D♯)
- string 1: 7 (E)
Position 2 (frets 6 to 10), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 3: 6 (F♯), 7 (G), 9 (A)
- string 2: 6 (B♭), 8 (C), 9 (C♯)
- string 4: 8 (D♯), 9 (E)
- string 1: 9 (F♯), 10 (G)
Position 3 (frets 7 to 11), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 3: 7 (G), 9 (A), 10 (B♭)
- string 2: 8 (C), 9 (C♯), 11 (D♯)
- string 4: 9 (E), 11 (F♯)
- string 1: 10 (G)
Position 4 (frets 9 to 13), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 3: 9 (A), 10 (B♭), 12 (C)
- string 2: 9 (C♯), 11 (D♯), 12 (E)
- string 4: 11 (F♯), 12 (G)
- string 1: 12 (A), 13 (B♭)
Position 5 (frets 10 to 14), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 3: 10 (B♭), 12 (C), 13 (C♯)
- string 2: 11 (D♯), 12 (E), 14 (F♯)
- string 4: 12 (G), 14 (A)
- string 1: 13 (B♭)
Position 6 (frets 12 to 15), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 3: 12 (C), 13 (C♯), 15 (D♯)
- string 2: 12 (E), 14 (F♯), 15 (G)
- string 4: 14 (A), 15 (B♭)
- string 1: 15 (C)
Position 7 (frets 12 to 15), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 3: 13 (C♯), 15 (D♯)
- string 2: 12 (E), 14 (F♯), 15 (G)
- string 4: 14 (A), 15 (B♭)
- string 1: 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 (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 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 (E). There are 8 positions on ukulele, each with the full fingering.