Whole tone · A · Piano
The A Whole tone scale is A B D♭ E♭ F G — formula 1 2 3 ♯4 ♯5 ♭7, step pattern W–W–W–W–W–W. Use it over A7♯5: it is the scale for augmented dominant chords (7♯5, 7♭5) — a floating, symmetrical sound. Below, every note is marked on the two-octave keyboard; press play to hear it on a synthesized piano while each note lights up, or tap any key to sound that note.
Visualizer
Piano
Guitar · standard tuning
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). “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 A | Step to next |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | unison (0 semitones) | W |
| 2 | B | major 2nd (2 semitones) | W |
| 3 | D♭ | major 3rd (4 semitones) | W |
| ♯4 | E♭ | tritone (6 semitones) | W |
| ♯5 | F | minor 6th (8 semitones) | W |
| ♭7 | G | minor 7th (10 semitones) | W |
Chord it implies: A7♯5. Use it for: augmented dominant chords (7♯5, 7♭5) — a floating, symmetrical sound.
Common questions
A B D♭ E♭ F G. As scale degrees: 1 2 3 ♯4 ♯5 ♭7. It has 6 notes.
A Whole tone fits A7♯5 and, more generally, augmented dominant chords (7♯5, 7♭5) — a floating, symmetrical sound.
1 2 3 ♯4 ♯5 ♭7 — the step pattern from the root is W W W W W W (W = whole step, H = half step).
Play A B D♭ E♭ F G A ascending from the root, then descend. The keyboard above shows every root in gold, chord tones outlined in amber and the remaining scale tones in teal; use the Play button to hear the fingering tempo.
Keep going
Same scale on guitar · all Whole tone pages: Whole tone hub · theory: chord-scale theory.
Other scales from A