Diminished (whole–half) · C♯ · Guitar
The C♯ Dim. W–H scale is C♯ D♯ E F♯ G A A♯ C — formula 1 2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 6 7, step pattern W–H–W–H–W–H–W–H. Use it over C♯dim7: it is the scale for fully diminished seventh chords (dim7). 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 4. “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 C♯ | Step to next |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C♯ | unison (0 semitones) | W |
| 2 | D♯ | major 2nd (2 semitones) | H |
| ♭3 | E | minor 3rd (3 semitones) | W |
| 4 | F♯ | perfect 4th (5 semitones) | H |
| ♭5 | G | tritone (6 semitones) | W |
| ♭6 | A | minor 6th (8 semitones) | H |
| 6 | A♯ | major 6th (9 semitones) | W |
| 7 | C | major 7th (11 semitones) | H |
Chord it implies: C♯dim7 (C♯ – E – G – A♯). Use it for: fully diminished seventh chords (dim7).
Common questions
C♯ D♯ E F♯ G A A♯ C. As scale degrees: 1 2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 6 7. It has 8 notes.
C♯ Dim. W–H fits C♯dim7 and, more generally, fully diminished seventh chords (dim7).
1 2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 6 7 — the step pattern from the root is W H W H W H W H (W = whole step, H = half step).
Start on the root C♯ on the A string at fret 4, and play the one-octave position shown: A-string fret 4, A-string fret 6, A-string fret 7, D-string fret 4, D-string fret 5, D-string fret 7, D-string fret 8, G-string fret 5, G-string fret 6. Every C♯ 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. W–H pages: Diminished (whole–half) hub · theory: chord-scale theory.
Other scales from C♯