A Diminished Whole-Half Scale Charts
Explore A Diminished Whole-Half across the full guitar fretboard and 5 connected positions. Notes: A, B, C, D, D#, F, F#, G#. Intervals: 1, 2, b3, 4, b5, b6, 6, 7.
A Diminished Whole-Half full fretboard chart
A Diminished Whole-Half uses A, B, C, D, D#, F, F#, G# across frets 0-15.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b6F | 6F# | 7G# | RA | 2B | b3C | 4D | b5D# | b6F | 6F# | ||||||
| 2B | 2B | b3C | 4D | b5D# | b6F | 6F# | 7G# | RA | 2B | b3C | 4D | |||||
| 3G | 7G# | RA | 2B | b3C | 4D | b5D# | b6F | 6F# | 7G# | RA | ||||||
| 4D | 4D | b5D# | b6F | 6F# | 7G# | RA | 2B | b3C | 4D | b5D# | b6F | |||||
| 5A | RA | 2B | b3C | 4D | b5D# | b6F | 6F# | 7G# | RA | 2B | b3C | |||||
| 6E | b6F | 6F# | 7G# | RA | 2B | b3C | 4D | b5D# | b6F | 6F# | ||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
String 1: F4 at fret 1 (b6), F#4 at fret 2 (6), G#4 at fret 4 (7), A4 at fret 5 (root), B4 at fret 7 (2), C5 at fret 8 (b3), D5 at fret 10 (4), D#5 at fret 11 (b5), F5 at fret 13 (b6), F#5 at fret 14 (6).
String 2: B3 at fret 0 (2), C4 at fret 1 (b3), D4 at fret 3 (4), D#4 at fret 4 (b5), F4 at fret 6 (b6), F#4 at fret 7 (6), G#4 at fret 9 (7), A4 at fret 10 (root), B4 at fret 12 (2), C5 at fret 13 (b3), D5 at fret 15 (4).
String 3: G#3 at fret 1 (7), A3 at fret 2 (root), B3 at fret 4 (2), C4 at fret 5 (b3), D4 at fret 7 (4), D#4 at fret 8 (b5), F4 at fret 10 (b6), F#4 at fret 11 (6), G#4 at fret 13 (7), A4 at fret 14 (root).
String 4: D3 at fret 0 (4), D#3 at fret 1 (b5), F3 at fret 3 (b6), F#3 at fret 4 (6), G#3 at fret 6 (7), A3 at fret 7 (root), B3 at fret 9 (2), C4 at fret 10 (b3), D4 at fret 12 (4), D#4 at fret 13 (b5), F4 at fret 15 (b6).
String 5: A2 at fret 0 (root), B2 at fret 2 (2), C3 at fret 3 (b3), D3 at fret 5 (4), D#3 at fret 6 (b5), F3 at fret 8 (b6), F#3 at fret 9 (6), G#3 at fret 11 (7), A3 at fret 12 (root), B3 at fret 14 (2), C4 at fret 15 (b3).
String 6: F2 at fret 1 (b6), F#2 at fret 2 (6), G#2 at fret 4 (7), A2 at fret 5 (root), B2 at fret 7 (2), C3 at fret 8 (b3), D3 at fret 10 (4), D#3 at fret 11 (b5), F3 at fret 13 (b6), F#3 at fret 14 (6).
A Diminished Whole-Half Position 1 chart
Position 1 covers frets 5-9 for A Diminished Whole-Half.
| String | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | RA | 2B | b3C | ||
| 2B | b6F | 6F# | 7G# | ||
| 3G | b3C | 4D | b5D# | ||
| 4D | 7G# | RA | 2B | ||
| 5A | 4D | b5D# | b6F | 6F# | |
| 6E | RA | 2B | b3C | ||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
String 1: A4 at fret 5 (root), B4 at fret 7 (2), C5 at fret 8 (b3).
String 2: F4 at fret 6 (b6), F#4 at fret 7 (6), G#4 at fret 9 (7).
String 3: C4 at fret 5 (b3), D4 at fret 7 (4), D#4 at fret 8 (b5).
String 4: G#3 at fret 6 (7), A3 at fret 7 (root), B3 at fret 9 (2).
String 5: D3 at fret 5 (4), D#3 at fret 6 (b5), F3 at fret 8 (b6), F#3 at fret 9 (6).
String 6: A2 at fret 5 (root), B2 at fret 7 (2), C3 at fret 8 (b3).
A Diminished Whole-Half Position 2 chart
Position 2 covers frets 7-11 for A Diminished Whole-Half.
| String | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 2B | b3C | 4D | b5D# | |
| 2B | 7G# | RA | |||
| 3G | 4D | b5D# | b6F | 6F# | |
| 4D | RA | 2B | b3C | ||
| 5A | b6F | 6F# | 7G# | ||
| 6E | 2B | b3C | 4D | b5D# | |
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
String 1: B4 at fret 7 (2), C5 at fret 8 (b3), D5 at fret 10 (4), D#5 at fret 11 (b5).
String 2: G#4 at fret 9 (7), A4 at fret 10 (root).
String 3: D4 at fret 7 (4), D#4 at fret 8 (b5), F4 at fret 10 (b6), F#4 at fret 11 (6).
String 4: A3 at fret 7 (root), B3 at fret 9 (2), C4 at fret 10 (b3).
String 5: F3 at fret 8 (b6), F#3 at fret 9 (6), G#3 at fret 11 (7).
String 6: B2 at fret 7 (2), C3 at fret 8 (b3), D3 at fret 10 (4), D#3 at fret 11 (b5).
A Diminished Whole-Half Position 3 chart
Position 3 covers frets 9-13 for A Diminished Whole-Half.
| String | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 4D | b5D# | b6F | ||
| 2B | RA | 2B | b3C | ||
| 3G | b6F | 6F# | 7G# | ||
| 4D | 2B | b3C | 4D | b5D# | |
| 5A | 6F# | 7G# | RA | ||
| 6E | 4D | b5D# | b6F | ||
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
String 1: D5 at fret 10 (4), D#5 at fret 11 (b5), F5 at fret 13 (b6).
String 2: A4 at fret 10 (root), B4 at fret 12 (2), C5 at fret 13 (b3).
String 3: F4 at fret 10 (b6), F#4 at fret 11 (6), G#4 at fret 13 (7).
String 4: B3 at fret 9 (2), C4 at fret 10 (b3), D4 at fret 12 (4), D#4 at fret 13 (b5).
String 5: F#3 at fret 9 (6), G#3 at fret 11 (7), A3 at fret 12 (root).
String 6: D3 at fret 10 (4), D#3 at fret 11 (b5), F3 at fret 13 (b6).
A Diminished Whole-Half Position 4 chart
Position 4 covers frets 11-15 for A Diminished Whole-Half.
| String | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b5D# | b6F | 6F# | ||
| 2B | 2B | b3C | 4D | ||
| 3G | 6F# | 7G# | RA | ||
| 4D | 4D | b5D# | b6F | ||
| 5A | 7G# | RA | 2B | b3C | |
| 6E | b5D# | b6F | 6F# | ||
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
String 1: D#5 at fret 11 (b5), F5 at fret 13 (b6), F#5 at fret 14 (6).
String 2: B4 at fret 12 (2), C5 at fret 13 (b3), D5 at fret 15 (4).
String 3: F#4 at fret 11 (6), G#4 at fret 13 (7), A4 at fret 14 (root).
String 4: D4 at fret 12 (4), D#4 at fret 13 (b5), F4 at fret 15 (b6).
String 5: G#3 at fret 11 (7), A3 at fret 12 (root), B3 at fret 14 (2), C4 at fret 15 (b3).
String 6: D#3 at fret 11 (b5), F3 at fret 13 (b6), F#3 at fret 14 (6).
A Diminished Whole-Half Position 5 chart
Position 5 covers frets 1-5 for A Diminished Whole-Half.
| String | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b6F | 6F# | 7G# | RA | |
| 2B | 4D | b5D# | |||
| 3G | 7G# | RA | 2B | b3C | |
| 4D | b5D# | b6F | 6F# | ||
| 5A | 2B | b3C | 4D | ||
| 6E | b6F | 6F# | 7G# | RA | |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
String 1: F4 at fret 1 (b6), F#4 at fret 2 (6), G#4 at fret 4 (7), A4 at fret 5 (root).
String 2: D4 at fret 3 (4), D#4 at fret 4 (b5).
String 3: G#3 at fret 1 (7), A3 at fret 2 (root), B3 at fret 4 (2), C4 at fret 5 (b3).
String 4: D#3 at fret 1 (b5), F3 at fret 3 (b6), F#3 at fret 4 (6).
String 5: B2 at fret 2 (2), C3 at fret 3 (b3), D3 at fret 5 (4).
String 6: F2 at fret 1 (b6), F#2 at fret 2 (6), G#2 at fret 4 (7), A2 at fret 5 (root).
Diminished Whole-Half scale essentials
- Interval formula
- 1 · 2 · b3 · 4 · b5 · b6 · 6 · 7
- Characteristic tones
- b3 · b5 · 6 · 7
Practice the A Diminished Whole-Half sound
- Say and play the scale: Play A → B → C → D → D# → F → F# → G# → A up and back down, naming the degrees 1 → 2 → b3 → 4 → b5 → b6 → 6 → 7 → 1 as you go.
- Hear its defining tones: pause on C (b3), D# (b5), F# (6), G# (7) before landing on A. Listen for how those characteristic tones color the phrase.
- Connect the positions: Work through all 5 position charts. Start in Position 1 (frets 5–9), then repeat a short phrase from the root in each shape. Use the full fretboard chart to find the next A as you move between positions.
Continue with this scale
Take Diminished Whole-Half into the matching course and practice resources.