C
C♯
D♯
E
F♯
G
A
A♯
C
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C Half-Whole Diminished
1 – ♭2 – ♯2 – 3 – ♯4 – 5 – 6 – ♭7
ABOUT THIS SCALE
An eight-note symmetrical scale alternating half steps and whole steps. Frequently used over dominant seventh chords.
GUITAR FRETBOARD
C Half-Whole Diminished
Standard tuning — E A D G B E — open through fret 24.
Scale note
Root
Click any note to hear it.
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Playback:
The scale follows a practical two-octave route across nearby
strings and frets. The note currently sounding turns bright white.
JAM OVER THIS
Key of C
Chord progression ideas
Dominant Diminished
I7♭9 – I13♭9
C7♭9
→
C13♭9
Half-whole diminished is especially effective over dominant chords containing flat-nine and other altered tensions.
Tension Vamp
I7♭9 – ♭III7♭9 – I7♭9
C7♭9
→
D♯7♭9
→
C7♭9
The symmetrical scale allows dominant shapes to move by minor thirds while retaining related tension.