STRINGSCALES

C diminished Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: F, Gb, Ab, A, B, C, D, Eb at frets 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11

A string: A, B, C, D, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, A at frets 0, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12

D string: D, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, A, B, C, D at frets 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12

G string: Ab, A, B, C, D, Eb, F, Gb at frets 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11

B string: B, C, D, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, A, B at frets 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12

High E string: F, Gb, Ab, A, B, C, D, Eb at frets 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11

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C diminished

The diminished scale (the whole-half diminished scale) alternates whole and half steps through eight notes. It serves fully diminished 7th chords, and its minor-3rd symmetry means fingerings repeat every three frets: learn one octave and you own the neck. Jazz and classical writing both exploit its ability to spiral tension upward before resolving.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

C

I

D

II

E♭

bIII

F

IV

G♭

bV

A♭

bVI

A

VI

B

VII

Same notes, different mode

C diminished uses the same notes as the scales below. Start from a different note and you get a new mode built on the very same note set.

D half-whole diminishedF half-whole diminishedAb half-whole diminishedB half-whole diminished

diminished in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • This is the whole-half diminished scale: run it over a fully diminished 7th chord in C, whose four chord tones sit right inside it.
  • Every pattern repeats a minor 3rd (Eb) up; learn one octave of C fingering and transpose it in three-fret jumps.
  • Alternate a diminished 7th arpeggio with scale steps for the classic spiraling tension line.
  • Do not confuse it with the half-whole scale: whole-half fits the diminished chord itself, half-whole fits dominant 7b9 chords.

How to play C diminished on guitar

Open strings A, D and B belong to this collection, sounding the major sixth, major second and major seventh, so three can ring under a fretted line. Symmetry puts the same fingering on Eb diminished 3 frets up, so one box learned covers four tonics. Roots and barres cluster low: B string fret 1, A-shape fret 3, E-shape fret 8. Fret 12 closes box one.

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