B♭ diminished (half-whole) scale
Symmetric8 notes · B♭ + C♭ + D♭ + A♭
B♭diminished (half-whole)
KeyboardRight hand · 1 = thumb
Fingering guideOne octave · both hands
| Hand | B♭ | C♭ | D♭ | D | E | F | G | A♭ | B♭ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 4 | 1thumb under | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1thumb under | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Left hand | 2 | 1 | 44 over | 3 | 2 | 1 | 44 over | 3 | 2 |
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. B♭ diminished (half-whole) goes H–W–H–W–H–W–H–W.
The degrees
Number the notes from the root: 1 B♭, ♭2 C♭, ♭3 D♭, 3 D, ♯4 E, 5 F, 6 G, ♭7 A♭. The degrees stay the same in every key, so a pattern learned in B♭ 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 D♭, 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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