SCALE REFERENCE

A Diminished (Whole–Half)

A – B – C – D – D♯ – F – F♯ – G♯1 2 b3 4 b5 b6 6 7

Eight notes alternating whole then half steps — the scale over a diminished 7th chord. Fully symmetric: it repeats every minor third.

Notes & degrees
A1B2Cb3D4D♯b5Fb6F♯6G♯7
NotesA, B, C, D, D#, F, F#, G#
StepsW – H – W – H – W – H – W – H (W = whole, H = half)
Also calledOctatonic
Piano
ABCDFD♯F♯G♯
Guitar & ukulele — every position (frets 0–12)
357912eFF♯G♯ABCDD♯BBCDD♯FF♯G♯ABGG♯ABCDD♯FF♯DDD♯FF♯G♯ABCDAABCDD♯FF♯G♯AEFF♯G♯ABCDD♯

Root notes are red. The full map of the scale on the guitar neck; the common box patterns are groups of these notes.

357912AABCDD♯FF♯G♯AEFF♯G♯ABCDD♯CCDD♯FF♯G♯ABCGG♯ABCDD♯FF♯

The same scale on a ukulele in standard G–C–E–A tuning.

Other scales on A

Core scales & modes

A MajorA Natural MinorA Harmonic MinorA Melodic MinorA DorianA PhrygianA LydianA MixolydianA Locrian

Pentatonic & blues

A Major PentatonicA Minor PentatonicA BluesA Major Blues

Jazz & altered

A Harmonic MajorA Phrygian DominantA Lydian DominantA AlteredA Bebop Dominant

Symmetric

A Whole ToneA Diminished (Half–Whole)A Augmented Scale

World & exotic

A Hungarian MinorA Double Harmonic MajorA Neapolitan Minor
Diminished (Whole–Half) on another root
CC♯D♭DE♭D♯EFF♯G♭GA♭G♯AB♭A♯B
Keep exploring

See the diatonic chords with audio in the Scale & Chord Finder, find where a key sits among the others on the Circle of Fifths, or start the free Cloud Atelier music guides.