Lesson 20: Diminished Scale Patterns
The interval structure of a diminished scale
is as follows: whole-step, half-step,
whole-step,
half-step, whole-step, etc. Or it can be
half-step, whole-step,
half-step, whole-step, etc. It just depends
on the situation. Use your ear to determine which
way sounds best to you.
Take a look at
the A diminished scale below and notice that
because the interval pattern is so repetitive,
this could also be a C diminished scale, a Eb
diminished scale, or a Gb diminished scale.
This fact makes it easy to move a diminished
scale around the fretboard.
A - B - C - D - Eb - F - Gb - G# - A
The following patterns show different
fingerings for an A diminished scale
(or C, or Eb, or Gb diminished scale).
Form 1
Form 2
Form 3
Form 4
Practice Exercises
Play through each finger pattern ascending
and descending using a slow even tempo.
Move the forms around the fretboard.
Staying with the same root, and at a slow
tempo, play continually in and out of the
different forms with no breaks.
With a friend, or using a tape recorder, play
these scales against full-diminished chords.
The sound will quickly become easy to
recognize.
Please email me at TVieira@ix.netcom.com if
you have any questions regarding this lesson.
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