Diminished (half–whole) · G · Guitar
The G Dim. H–W scale is G A♭ B♭ B D♭ D E F — formula 1 ♭2 ♭3 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7, step pattern H–W–H–W–H–W–H–W. Use it over G7♭9: it is the scale for dominant 7♭9 and 13♭9 chords — the ‘dominant diminished’ scale. Below, every note is marked on the fretboard in standard tuning; press play to hear it on a synthesized guitar while each note lights up, or tap any fret to sound that note.
Visualizer
Guitar · standard tuning
Piano
Tap any note on the diagram to hear it. Play loops the scale up and down one octave in eighth notes (switch Loop off for a single pass) in the position starting at fret 3. “Show” switches or combines the fretboard and keyboard; “Sound” picks the instrument you hear. Audio is synthesized in the browser.
Reference
| Degree | Note | Interval from G | Step to next |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G | unison (0 semitones) | H |
| ♭2 | A♭ | minor 2nd (1 semitones) | W |
| ♭3 | B♭ | minor 3rd (3 semitones) | H |
| 3 | B | major 3rd (4 semitones) | W |
| ♯4 | D♭ | tritone (6 semitones) | H |
| 5 | D | perfect 5th (7 semitones) | W |
| 6 | E | major 6th (9 semitones) | H |
| ♭7 | F | minor 7th (10 semitones) | W |
Chord it implies: G7♭9 (G – B♭ – D♭ – E). Use it for: dominant 7♭9 and 13♭9 chords — the ‘dominant diminished’ scale.
Common questions
G A♭ B♭ B D♭ D E F. As scale degrees: 1 ♭2 ♭3 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7. It has 8 notes.
G Dim. H–W fits G7♭9 and, more generally, dominant 7♭9 and 13♭9 chords — the ‘dominant diminished’ scale.
1 ♭2 ♭3 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7 — the step pattern from the root is H W H W H W H W (W = whole step, H = half step).
Start on the root G on the low E string at fret 3, and play the one-octave position shown: E-string fret 3, E-string fret 4, E-string fret 6, E-string fret 7, A-string fret 4, A-string fret 5, A-string fret 7, D-string fret 3, D-string fret 5. Every G on the neck is a root, so the same shape works in every position where the notes are marked.
Keep going
Same scale on piano · all Dim. H–W pages: Diminished (half–whole) hub · theory: chord-scale theory.
Other scales from G