D Half Diminished Scale

4-string bass  ·  = Locrian  ·  7 notes  ·  minor family

Notes

D
E♭
F
G
A♭
B♭
C

Solfège : Ré – Mi♭ – Fa – Sol – La♭ – Si♭ – Do

Interval Structure

D ½T E♭ T F T G ½T A♭ T B♭ T C D+oct. T

Scale Chords (triads)

DegreeChord (in D)Quality
diminished
II E♭ Major
iii Fm minor
iv Gm minor
V A♭ Major
VI B♭ Major
vii Cm minor

About this scale

The half-diminished scale is equivalent to the Locrian mode. It defines half-diminished chords (iiø7) and is used to improvise over them in jazz cadences. Its b5 creates immediate tension demanding resolution.

See fretboard positions, piano and arpeggios for D Half Diminished in the interactive app.

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Same scale in other keys