Practice Lab

Guitar · scales and modes

E, G, B♭ and C♯ diminished half–whole scale on guitar

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

E diminished half–whole: notes, degrees and the semitones to the next note
NoteEFGG♯B♭BC♯D
Degree1♭2♭33♭556♭7
Step12121212

E diminished half–whole on the whole neck

Every E diminished half–whole 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".

E diminished half–whole scale, note names, frets 0 to 15E2F2G2G#2Bb2B2C#3D3E3F3G3Bb2B2C#3D3E3F3G3G#3Bb3B3D3E3F3G3G#3Bb3B3C#4D4E4F4G3G#3Bb3B3C#4D4E4F4G4G#4Bb4B3C#4D4E4F4G4G#4Bb4B4C#5D5E4F4G4G#4Bb4B4C#5D5E5F5G56E25A24D33G32B31E40123456789101112131415
  • E diminished half–whole
Note names
Show 1 more neck: by degreeShow less
E diminished half–whole scale, degrees, frets 0 to 151b2b33b556b71b2b3b556b71b2b33b55b71b2b33b556b71b2b33b556b71b2b33b556b71b2b33b556b71b2b33b556b71b2b36E25A24D33G32B31E40123456789101112131415
  • E diminished half–whole
Degrees

E diminished half–whole in 5 positions

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

E diminished half–whole, position 1, frets 0 to 41b2b3b556b71b2b33b556b71b2b36E25A24D33G32B31E401234
    Position 1: frets 0–4, 18 notes
    E diminished half–whole, position 2, frets 2 to 6b33b556b71b2b3b556b71b33b56E25A24D33G32B31E423456
      Position 2: frets 2–6, 17 notes
      E diminished half–whole, position 3, frets 5 to 9b556b71b2b33b56b71b2b3b5566E25A24D33G32B31E456789
        Position 3: frets 5–9, 17 notes
        Show 2 more positionsShow less
        E diminished half–whole, position 4, frets 7 to 1156b71b2b3b556b71b2b33b556b76E25A24D33G32B31E47891011
          Position 4: frets 7–11, 18 notes
          E diminished half–whole, position 5, frets 9 to 136b71b33b556b71b2b33b556b716E25A24D33G32B31E4910111213
            Position 5: frets 9–13, 18 notes

            Triads in E diminished half–whole

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

            Seventh chords in E diminished half–whole

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

            Same notes, other names

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

            Diminished half–whole in every key

            Practice it in Practice Lab

            Practice E diminished half–whole in every position, at your tempo, with a plan that adapts. Free, in your browser, no account.

            Open it in Practice Lab