C Half Diminished Scale
4-string bass · = Locrian ♮2 · 7 notes · minor family
Notes
C
D
E♭
F
G♭
A♭
B♭
Solfège : Do – Ré – Mi♭ – Fa – Sol♭ – La♭ – Si♭
Interval Structure
C
T
D
½T
E♭
T
F
½T
G♭
T
A♭
T
B♭
→
C+oct.
T
Scale Chords (triads)
| Degree | Chord (in C) | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| i° | C° | diminished |
| ii° | D° | diminished |
| iii | E♭m | minor |
| iv | Fm | minor |
| V+ | G♭+ | augmented |
| VI | A♭ | Major |
| VII | B♭ | Major |
About this scale
Mode VI of the melodic minor: Locrian with a major 2nd. It is the reference scale over half-diminished chords (iiø7) in jazz, preferred to Locrian whose b2 clashes with the root. Its b5 creates immediate tension demanding resolution.
See fretboard positions, piano and arpeggios for C Half Diminished in the interactive app.
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