Practice Lab

Guitar · scales and modes

D, F, A♭ and B diminished whole–half scale on guitar

The D, F, A♭ and B diminished whole–half scales have the same notes, so this one page covers all 4, written from D: D, E, F, G, A♭, B♭, B, C♯. Also called Messiaen 2. Messiaen's second mode (octatonic), whole–half form.

D diminished whole–half: notes, degrees and the semitones to the next note
NoteDEFGA♭B♭BC♯
Degree12♭34♭5♭667
Step21212121

D diminished whole–half on the whole neck

Every D diminished whole–half note from the open strings to fret 15, in standard E tuning (E A D G B E), by name; by degree under "Show more".

D diminished whole–half scale, note names, frets 0 to 15E2F2G2Ab2Bb2B2C#3D3E3F3G3Bb2B2C#3D3E3F3G3Ab3Bb3B3D3E3F3G3Ab3Bb3B3C#4D4E4F4G3Ab3Bb3B3C#4D4E4F4G4Ab4Bb4B3C#4D4E4F4G4Ab4Bb4B4C#5D5E4F4G4Ab4Bb4B4C#5D5E5F5G56E25A24D33G32B31E40123456789101112131415
  • D diminished whole–half
Note names
Show 1 more neck: by degreeShow less
D diminished whole–half scale, degrees, frets 0 to 152b34b5b66712b34b66712b34b5b6612b34b5b66712b34b5b66712b34b5b66712b34b5b66712b34b5b66712b346E25A24D33G32B31E40123456789101112131415
  • D diminished whole–half
Degrees

D diminished whole–half in 5 positions

The neck split into the hand positions Practice Lab practices, one for each place a D falls on a string, with the notes its scale run fingers there.

D diminished whole–half, position 1, frets 0 to 42b34b66712b34b5b66712b346E25A24D33G32B31E401234
    Position 1: frets 0–4, 18 notes
    D diminished whole–half, position 2, frets 3 to 74b5b6712b34b5b66712b34b5b66E25A24D33G32B31E434567
      Position 2: frets 3–7, 18 notes
      D diminished whole–half, position 3, frets 5 to 9b66712b34b5b6712b34b6676E25A24D33G32B31E456789
        Position 3: frets 5–9, 17 notes
        Show 2 more positionsShow less
        D diminished whole–half, position 4, frets 7 to 116712b34b66712b34b5b66716E25A24D33G32B31E47891011
          Position 4: frets 7–11, 18 notes
          D diminished whole–half, position 5, frets 10 to 1412b34b5b6712b34b5b66712b36E25A24D33G32B31E41011121314
            Position 5: frets 10–14, 18 notes

            Triads in D diminished whole–half

            DegreeChordPages
            1DdimD diminished arpeggio
            2EE major arpeggio
            2EmE minor arpeggio
            2EdimE diminished arpeggio
            ♭3FdimF diminished arpeggio
            4GG major arpeggio
            4GmG minor arpeggio
            4GdimG diminished arpeggio
            ♭5A♭dimG♯ diminished arpeggio
            ♭6B♭B♭ major arpeggio
            ♭6B♭mB♭ minor arpeggio
            ♭6B♭dimB♭ diminished arpeggio
            6BdimB diminished arpeggio
            7C♯D♭ major arpeggio
            7C♯mC♯ minor arpeggio
            7C♯dimC♯ diminished arpeggio

            Seventh chords in D diminished whole–half

            DegreeChordPages
            1Ddim7Ddim7 arpeggio
            2Em7Em7 arpeggio · Em7 drop 2 · Em7 drop 3 · Em7 drop 2 and 4
            2E7E7 arpeggio · E7 drop 2 · E7 drop 3 · E7 drop 2 and 4
            2Em7♭5Em7♭5 arpeggio · Em7♭5 drop 2 · Em7♭5 drop 3 · Em7♭5 drop 2 and 4
            2Edim7Edim7 arpeggio
            2E–
            ♭3Fdim7Fdim7 arpeggio
            4Gm7Gm7 arpeggio · Gm7 drop 2 · Gm7 drop 3 · Gm7 drop 2 and 4
            4G7G7 arpeggio · G7 drop 2 · G7 drop 3 · G7 drop 2 and 4
            4Gm7♭5Gm7♭5 arpeggio · Gm7♭5 drop 2 · Gm7♭5 drop 3 · Gm7♭5 drop 2 and 4
            4Gdim7Gdim7 arpeggio
            4G–
            ♭5A♭dim7G♯dim7 arpeggio
            ♭6B♭m7B♭m7 arpeggio · B♭m7 drop 2 · B♭m7 drop 3 · B♭m7 drop 2 and 4
            ♭6B♭7B♭7 arpeggio · B♭7 drop 2 · B♭7 drop 3 · B♭7 drop 2 and 4
            ♭6B♭m7♭5B♭m7♭5 arpeggio · B♭m7♭5 drop 2 · B♭m7♭5 drop 3 · B♭m7♭5 drop 2 and 4
            ♭6B♭dim7A♯dim7 arpeggio
            ♭6B♭–
            6Bdim7Bdim7 arpeggio
            7C♯m7C♯m7 arpeggio · C♯m7 drop 2 · C♯m7 drop 3 · C♯m7 drop 2 and 4
            7C♯7D♭7 arpeggio · D♭7 drop 2 · D♭7 drop 3 · D♭7 drop 2 and 4
            7C♯m7♭5C♯m7♭5 arpeggio · C♯m7♭5 drop 2 · C♯m7♭5 drop 3 · C♯m7♭5 drop 2 and 4
            7C♯dim7C♯dim7 arpeggio
            7C♯–

            Same notes, other names

            These scales use exactly the notes of D diminished whole–half, starting from another root.

            Diminished whole–half in every key

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