A Diminished Scale (Whole-Half)
Notes in the A Diminished Scale (Whole-Half)
| Degree | Name | Note | Frequency (A=440) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonic | A | 440.000 Hz |
| 2 | Supertonic | B | 493.883 Hz |
| ♭3 | Minor Mediant | C | 261.626 Hz |
| 4 | Subdominant | D | 293.665 Hz |
| ♭5 | Tritone | D# | 311.127 Hz |
| ♭6 | Minor Submediant | F | 349.228 Hz |
| 6 | Major Submediant | F# | 369.994 Hz |
| 7 | Leading Tone | G# | 415.305 Hz |
Interval Pattern
| Step | Interval | Semitones | From Note | To Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | A | B |
| 2 | Half Step (H) | 1 | B | C |
| 3 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | C | D |
| 4 | Half Step (H) | 1 | D | D# |
| 5 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | D# | F |
| 6 | Half Step (H) | 1 | F | F# |
| 7 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | F# | G# |
| 8 | Half Step (H) | 1 | G# | A |
Chords Built on Scale Degrees
| Degree | Note | Chord | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | A diminished | diminished |
| 2 | B | B diminished | diminished |
| ♭3 | C | C diminished | diminished |
| 4 | D | D diminished | diminished |
| ♭5 | D# | D# diminished | diminished |
| ♭6 | F | F diminished | diminished |
| 6 | F# | F# diminished | diminished |
| 7 | G# | G# diminished | diminished |
Key Signature
3 ♯ — The A key signature uses F#, C#, G#.
A Diminished Scale (Whole-Half) in Practice
The A Diminished Scale (Whole-Half) uses the key signature of 3 sharps (F#, C#, G#). A major has three sharps (F#, C#, G#) and a bright, clear sound. It is extremely common in popular music and rock, particularly on guitar, and is easily sung by most voices. On guitar, A positions offer open-string resonance for fingering positions for this scale.
The whole-half diminished scale alternates whole and half steps, creating an 8-note symmetrical scale. It is used over diminished chords and in jazz improvisation.
Tuning Frequencies Across Temperaments
Frequencies shown at A=440 Hz. View full temperament data for any note.
| Note | Equal Temp. | Pythagorean | Just Intonation |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 440.000 Hz | 440.000 Hz | 436.043 Hz |
| B | 493.883 Hz | 495.000 Hz | 490.548 Hz |
| C | 261.626 Hz | 260.740 Hz | 261.626 Hz |
| D | 293.665 Hz | 293.332 Hz | 294.329 Hz |
| D# | 311.127 Hz | 309.026 Hz | 313.951 Hz |
| F | 349.228 Hz | 347.654 Hz | 348.834 Hz |
| F# | 369.994 Hz | 371.251 Hz | 367.911 Hz |
| G# | 415.305 Hz | 417.657 Hz | 418.601 Hz |
Related Scales
Guitar: A Diminished Scale (Whole-Half) Positions
The A key offers 3 sharps (F#, C#, G#) on guitar. Sharp-side keys like A are idiomatic guitar keys because open strings (E, A, D, G, B, E) align with the scale's natural resonance points.