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C diminished (half-whole) scale

The C diminished (half-whole) scale is made of the notes C, D♭, E♭, E, F♯, G, A, B♭. It has 8 notes; compared with the major scale its formula is 1 ♭2 ♭3 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7.

Symmetric · 8 notes

Note names
  1. 1C
  2. ♭2D♭
  3. ♭3E♭
  4. 3E
  5. ♯4F♯
  6. 5G
  7. 6A
  8. ♭7B♭

PatternH – W – H – W – H – W – H – W(W = whole step, H = half step)

Built by repeating the same pattern of intervals over and over. Degrees are shown relative to the major scale: ♭3 is the third lowered by a half step, ♯4 the fourth raised.

Open in the scale finder

Mode and chords

Eight notes alternating half and whole steps, starting with a half step. It contains the major 3rd and minor 7th, which is why jazz uses it over the dominant chord with ♭9 and ♯9.

Used overC7Cm7Cm7♭5Cdim7

Put it into practice

The scale played in thirds over one octave: one of the exercises MEG generates from this scale.

This scale is not part of the demo: in the MEG app you will find it in every key, with 24 patterns.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the notes of the C diminished (half-whole) scale?
The notes are C, D♭, E♭, E, F♯, G, A, B♭.
What is the pattern of the C diminished (half-whole) scale?
The sequence of steps is H – W – H – W – H – W – H – W (W = whole step, H = half step); compared with the major scale the degrees are 1 ♭2 ♭3 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7.
Which chords is the C diminished (half-whole) scale used over?
It is used over C7, Cm7, Cm7♭5, Cdim7: the chords on the tonic made of the notes of the scale.

Texts and tools by , professional musician and developer. Last updated: October 9, 2026.