A♭ diminished (half-whole) scale
Symmetric8 notes · A♭ + C♭ + E♭ + G♭
A♭diminished (half-whole)
KeyboardRight hand · 1 = thumb
Fingering guideOne octave · both hands
| Hand | A♭ | B𝄫 | C♭ | C | D | E♭ | F | G♭ | A♭ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 3 | 4 | 1thumb under | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1thumb under | 2 | 3 |
| Left hand | 3 | 2 | 1 | 44 over | 3 | 2 | 1 | 44 over | 3 |
Chords in the key
Stacking every other note of a diminished scale gives diminished chords: the scale holds two diminished seventh chords a half step apart.
How to read a scale
Steps, degrees, fingers.
The step pattern
Every scale is a pattern of whole and half steps. A♭ diminished (half-whole) goes H–W–H–W–H–W–H–W.
The degrees
Number the notes from the root: 1 A♭, ♭2 B𝄫, ♭3 C♭, 3 C, ♯4 D, 5 E♭, 6 F, ♭7 G♭. The degrees stay the same in every key, so a pattern learned in A♭ works in any other.
The fingering
Right hand: the thumb tucks under onto C♭, then the thumb tucks under onto F. Left hand: finger 4 crosses over onto C, then finger 4 crosses over onto G♭. Practise the crossings slowly; once they're smooth, raise the tempo.
All 216 scales
Every scale and mode on every root, each with its own page.
C
D♭
D
E♭
E
F
G♭
G
A♭
A
B♭
Practise it on a real keyboard.
Plug in a MIDI keyboard: the Melodio app shows every scale with its fingering and chords, and names what you play. Free, offline.
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