Package leaflet · Information for the musician · Scale
D Half-Whole Diminished Scale
Tense, angular and modern. Alternating half and whole steps produce a symmetrical eight-note sound full of altered colours.
- 8 notes
- 2 ♯, 1 ♭
- symmetric
1Composition: what it contains
D – E♭ – F – F♯ – G♯ – A – B – C
- Formula
- 1 ♭2 ♭3 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7
- Steps
- H – W – H – W – H – W – H – W
- Number of notes
- 8
- Sharps and flats
- 2 ♯, 1 ♭
- Also called
- dominant diminished scale, octatonic scale (half-whole), diminished scale (dominant)
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D | unison | 0 |
| ♭2 | E♭ | minor second | 1 |
| ♭3 | F | minor third | 3 |
| 3 | F♯ | major third | 4 |
| ♯4 | G♯ | augmented fourth | 6 |
| 5 | A | perfect fifth | 7 |
| 6 | B | major sixth | 9 |
| ♭7 | C | minor seventh | 10 |
2Appearance: diagrams and sound
Tip: click any note, key or fret to hear it. Orange = root.
3Indications: what it is used for
The dominant diminished scale: it fits dominant seventh chords with ♭9, ♯9, ♯11 and natural 13 (7♭9, 13♭9, 7♯9). In jazz, play it over V7 chords resolving to major or minor, especially when the band voices 13♭9. It also fits diminished seventh chords built a half step above its root. Classical and film composers use the octatonic sound for suspense. Because it repeats every minor third, there are only three different diminished scales.
4Dosage: how to practise it
Eight to ten minutes daily at 60–100 BPM. Practise it as four stacked minor thirds with a half step below each, and as two interlocking diminished seventh arpeggios. Play patterns that move a motif up in minor thirds; this symmetry is the scale's main resource. On guitar, learn the repeating fingering that shifts every three frets. On piano, play a 13♭9 voicing in the left hand and improvise. Resolve each phrase to the third of the target chord.
5Warnings and common mistakes
Do not confuse it with the whole-half diminished scale: half-whole starts with a half step and fits dominant chords; whole-half starts with a whole step and fits diminished chords. It contains a natural fifth and natural thirteenth, so it does not fit 7♯5 or 7♭13 chords (use altered instead). Spelling requires one letter to be used twice. Over-symmetrical patterns can sound like exercises; break them up.
6Interactions with chords, scales and keys
Chords that fit this scale
D Dm Ddim D6 Dm6 D7 Dm7 Dm7♭5 Ddim7 D7♭9 D7♯9 D7♭5
Same notes, different starting point
7Other presentations available
The same scale from every note
- C Half-Whole Diminished Scale
- C sharp Half-Whole Diminished Scale
- E flat Half-Whole Diminished Scale
- E Half-Whole Diminished Scale
- F Half-Whole Diminished Scale
- F sharp Half-Whole Diminished Scale
- G Half-Whole Diminished Scale
- A flat Half-Whole Diminished Scale
- A Half-Whole Diminished Scale
- B flat Half-Whole Diminished Scale
- B Half-Whole Diminished Scale
Other scales from the same note
- D Major Scale
- D Natural Minor Scale
- D Harmonic Minor Scale
- D Melodic Minor Scale
- D Dorian Mode
- D Phrygian Mode
- D Lydian Mode
- D Mixolydian Mode
- D Locrian Mode
- D Major Pentatonic Scale
- D Minor Pentatonic Scale
- D Blues Scale
- D Major Blues Scale
- D Whole Tone Scale
- D Whole-Half Diminished Scale
- D Phrygian Dominant Scale
- D Hungarian Minor Scale
- D Lydian Dominant Scale
- D Altered Scale
- D Double Harmonic Major Scale
- D Bebop Dominant Scale
Read this leaflet carefully before playing. Keep it near your instrument. Free to use, print and share for personal and educational use.