F Diminished Scale (Half-whole) on Guitar

The F Diminished Scale (Half-whole) is a 8-note scale (over 7♭9 dominant chords) built from the formula 1 ♭2 ♯2 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7. Its notes are F G♭ G♯ A B C D E♭. Below you'll find the scale on the whole fretboard and related scales — open it in the interactive fretboard for 3NPS, CAGED and pentatonic box patterns with playback.

Notes and intervals

DegreeNoteInterval
1Froot
♭2G♭Minor 2nd
♯2G♯Augmented 2nd
3AMajor 3rd
♯4BAugmented 4th (tritone)
5CPerfect 5th
6DMajor 6th
♭7E♭Minor 7th

Steps: H – W – H – W – H – W – H – W (W = whole step, H = half step)

F Diminished Scale (Half-whole) on the fretboard (15 frets)

F Diminished Scale (Half-whole) – guitar fretboardEADGBEF1G♭♭2G♯♯2A3B♯4C5D6E♭♭7F1G♭♭2A3B♯4C5D6E♭♭7F1G♭♭2G♯♯2A3B♯4C5D6E♭♭7F1G♭♭2G♯♯2A3B♯4C5D6E♭♭7F1G♯♯2A3B♯4C5D6E♭♭7F1G♭♭2G♯♯2A3B♯4C5D6E♭♭7F1G♭♭2G♯♯2A3B♯4C5D6F1G♭♭2G♯♯2A3B♯4C5D6E♭♭7F1G♭♭2123456789101112131415

Standard tuning E A D G B E. Pink = root, purple = characteristic notes. 3NPS, CAGED and box patterns plus other tunings are in the interactive fretboard.

Other scales from F

Diminished (half-whole) in other keys

FAQ

What notes are in the F Diminished Scale (Half-whole)?
The F Diminished Scale (Half-whole) has 8 notes: F, G♭, G♯, A, B, C, D, E♭. Its formula is 1 ♭2 ♯2 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7.
What intervals make up the F Diminished Scale (Half-whole)?
Step pattern: H – W – H – W – H – W – H – W (W = whole step, H = half step). Intervals from the root: ♭2 (Minor 2nd), ♯2 (Augmented 2nd), 3 (Major 3rd), ♯4 (Augmented 4th (tritone)), 5 (Perfect 5th), 6 (Major 6th), ♭7 (Minor 7th).