The Diminished Scale - Blitzstar Guitar

The diminished scale is an eight-note, symmetrical scale with an interval pattern that alternates between whole steps and half steps.

There are two forms of the scale:

The true diminished scale — also called the whole/half diminished scale — starts with a whole step, and has an interval pattern of W H W H W H W H.
The dominant diminished scale — also called the half/whole diminished scale — starts with a half step, and has an interval pattern of H W H W H W H W.

This post will analyze the true diminished scale. It will also provide a common fingering for the scale, along with instruction on how to play it on a guitar with any root note.

Constructing a Diminished Scale

We can construct a diminished scale by starting on any note and alternating whole steps and half steps from there.

For example, if we start a diminished scale on a C, the scale would contain the notes C, D, Eb, F, Gb, G# (or Ab), A and B.

Fig.1 shows a C diminished scale.

Fig.1

It is easy to see the pattern of whole steps and half steps if we play the scale on one string on a guitar (fig.2).

Fig.2

Enharmonic Equivalent Diminished Scales

There are really only three different diminished scales:

The C diminished scale.
The C# diminished scale.
The D diminished scale.

All of the other diminished scales are enharmonic equivalents of one of those three scales.

C Diminished Scale

The following diminished scales are enharmonic equivalents of one another:

C diminished scale.
Eb diminished scale.
Gb diminished scale.
A diminished scale.

All four scales contain the same notes.

Fig.3 shows the four enharmonic equivalent diminished scales.

Fig.3

C# Diminished Scale

The following diminished scales are enharmonic equivalents of one another.

C# diminished scale.
E diminished scale.
G diminished scale.
Bb diminished scale.

All four scales contain the same notes, with some of the notes spelled enharmonically, depending on the root note of the scale.

Fig.4 shows the four enharmonic equivalent diminished scales.

Fig.4

D Diminished Scale

The following diminished scales are enharmonic equivalents of one another:

D diminished scale.
F diminished scale.
Ab diminished scale.
Cb diminished scale.

All four scales contain the same notes.

Fig.5

Diminished Scales on a Guitar

Fig.6 shows a common fingering for a diminished scale.

Fig.6

This fingering will allow you to play a diminished scale starting on any note:

To play a C diminished scale, start the pattern on the C on the sixth string, eighth fret (fig.7a).
To play a D diminished scale, start the pattern on the D on the sixth string, 10th fret (fig.7b).

Fig.7

Soloing Application

The diminished scale is used to solo over diminished triads and diminished seventh chords with the same root note. All of the notes in those chords are contained in the diminished scale.

For example, all of the notes in a C° chord and a C°7 chord can be found in a C diminished scale (fig.8).

The spelling of the A in the diminished scale has been changed to the enharmonic equivalent Bbb to match the correct spelling of a C°7 chord.

Fig.8