C# Blues Diminished Scale on Bass Guitar: Notes

How it is built

C♯1D♭2E♭3E♯3G♭5G♯5A♯6B♭7

Formula 1, ♭2, ♭3, 3, ♭5, 5, 6, ♭7

Chords these notes build

C♯1C♯ Major C♯ Minor C♯ 5th C♯ 7th C♯ Minor 7th C♯ 7th Flat 5 C♯ Minor 7th Flat 5th C♯ 6th C♯ Minor 6th C♯ Diminished C♯ Diminished 7th
D♭2D Diminished D Diminished 7th D Diminished Major 7th
E♭3E Major E Minor E 5th E 7th E Minor 7th E 7th Flat 5 E Minor 7th Flat 5th E 6th E Minor 6th E Diminished E Diminished 7th
E♯3F Diminished F Diminished 7th F Diminished Major 7th
G♭5G Major G Minor G 5th G 7th G Minor 7th G 7th Flat 5 G Minor 7th Flat 5th G 6th G Minor 6th G Diminished G Diminished 7th
G♯5A♭ Diminished A♭ Diminished 7th A♭ Diminished Major 7th
A♯6B♭ Major B♭ Minor B♭ 5th B♭ 7th B♭ Minor 7th B♭ 7th Flat 5 B♭ Minor 7th Flat 5th B♭ 6th B♭ Minor 6th B♭ Diminished B♭ Diminished 7th
B♭7B Diminished B Diminished 7th B Diminished Major 7th

How do you play the C♯ blues diminished scale on bass?

C♯ blues diminished in box 1 runs from fret 0 to fret 3, 11 notes across 4 strings, from E on the E string at fret 0 up to A♯ on the G string at fret 3. No root falls inside this box; it sits between two of them.

Every note in this box, string by string

String	Frets	Notes
4 (E)	0, 1, 3	E, E♯, G
3 (A)	1, 2	A♯, B
2 (D)	0, 2, 3	D, E, E♯
1 (G)	0, 1, 3	G, G♯, A♯

Box 2 · frets 3–6

C♯ blues diminished in box 2 runs from fret 3 to fret 6, 11 notes across 4 strings, from G on the E string at fret 3 up to C♯ on the G string at fret 6. The root falls on the A string at fret 4 and the G string at fret 6.

Every note in this box, string by string

String	Frets	Notes
4 (E)	3, 4, 6	G, G♯, A♯
3 (A)	4, 5	C♯, D
2 (D)	3, 5, 6	E♯, G, G♯
1 (G)	3, 4, 6	A♯, B, C♯

Box 3 · frets 6–9

C♯ blues diminished in box 3 runs from fret 6 to fret 9, 11 notes across 4 strings, from A♯ on the E string at fret 6 up to E on the G string at fret 9. The root falls on the E string at fret 9 and the G string at fret 6.

Every note in this box, string by string

String	Frets	Notes
4 (E)	6, 7, 9	A♯, B, C♯
3 (A)	7, 8	E, E♯
2 (D)	6, 8, 9	G♯, A♯, B
1 (G)	6, 7, 9	C♯, D, E

Box 4 · frets 9–12

C♯ blues diminished in box 4 runs from fret 9 to fret 12, 11 notes across 4 strings, from C♯ on the E string at fret 9 up to G on the G string at fret 12. The root falls on the E string at fret 9 and the D string at fret 11.

Every note in this box, string by string

String	Frets	Notes
4 (E)	9, 10, 12	C♯, D, E
3 (A)	10, 11	G, G♯
2 (D)	9, 11, 12	B, C♯, D
1 (G)	9, 10, 12	E, E♯, G

Why it sounds like that

C♯ blues diminished adds a ♭2 to the C♯ hungarian major scale, which supplies the other seven notes. The scale contains a tritone between C♯ and G, but no leading tone. Compare it with C♯ hungarian major.

When to use it

C♯ blues diminished fits C♯ major and C♯ minor chords for blues lines. It also works over D diminished and D diminished 7th in passing. Use it in C♯ blues progressions when you need a darker, chromatic edge.

Which position to practise

Learn Box 1 first: it keeps the C♯ root on string 3, fret 4. That position covers frets 0–3 and sets up Box 2.

Common questions

What notes are in C♯ blues diminished?

C♯ blues diminished contains C♯, D, E, E♯, G, G♯, A♯, and B. The scale degrees are 1, ♭2, ♭3, 3, ♭5, 5, 6, and ♭7. It has eight notes total. It is also spelled D♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.

What chords does C♯ blues diminished fit?

C♯ blues diminished fits C♯ major and C♯ minor chords. It also works over D diminished and D diminished 7th chords. Use it for blues lines with a chromatic twist.

What is the difference between C♯ blues diminished and C♯ hungarian major?

C♯ blues diminished adds a ♭2 to C♯ hungarian major. C♯ hungarian major has seven notes: C♯, E, E♯, G, G♯, A♯, B. The blues diminished version includes D as the extra note.

Does C♯ blues diminished contain a tritone?

C♯ blues diminished contains a tritone between C♯ and G. That interval is a diminished fifth, six semitones above the root. It does not contain a leading tone.