SCALE REFERENCE

E Diminished (Half–Whole)

E – F – G – G♯ – A♯ – B – C♯ – D1 b2 b3 3 #4 5 6 b7

Half then whole steps — the scale over a 7b9 chord, giving the b9, #9, #11 and 13. The other half of the octatonic pair.

Notes & degrees
E1Fb2Gb3G♯3A♯#4B5C♯6Db7
NotesE, F, G, G#, A#, B, C#, D
StepsH – W – H – W – H – W – H – W (W = whole, H = half)
Also calledDominant Diminished
Piano
EFGBDG♯A♯C♯
Guitar & ukulele — every position (frets 0–12)
357912eEFGG♯A♯BC♯DEBBC♯DEFGG♯A♯BGGG♯A♯BC♯DEFGDDEFGG♯A♯BC♯DAA♯BC♯DEFGG♯EEFGG♯A♯BC♯DE

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

357912AA♯BC♯DEFGG♯EEFGG♯A♯BC♯DECC♯DEFGG♯A♯BGGG♯A♯BC♯DEFG

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

Other scales on E

Core scales & modes

E MajorE Natural MinorE Harmonic MinorE Melodic MinorE DorianE PhrygianE LydianE MixolydianE Locrian

Pentatonic & blues

E Major PentatonicE Minor PentatonicE BluesE Major Blues

Jazz & altered

E Harmonic MajorE Phrygian DominantE Lydian DominantE AlteredE Bebop Dominant

Symmetric

E Whole ToneE Diminished (Whole–Half)E Augmented Scale

World & exotic

E Hungarian MinorE Double Harmonic MajorE Neapolitan Minor
Diminished (Half–Whole) 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.