Explore scales · Guitar
E♭ whole-half scale on guitar
E♭ whole-half scale contains E♭, F, G♭, A♭, A, B, C, and D. Box 1 places the root on string 4, fret 1 for a low, dark position.
How it is built
Formula 1, 2, ♭3, 4, ♯4, ♯5, 6, 7
How do you play the E♭ whole-half scale on guitar?
E♭ whole-half in box 1 runs from fret 1 to fret 4, 17 notes across 6 strings, from F on the low E string at fret 1 up to A♭ on the high e string at fret 4. The root falls on the D string at fret 1 and the B string at fret 4.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 1, 2, 4 | F, G♭, A♭ |
| 5 (A) | 2, 3 | B, C |
| 4 (D) | 1, 3, 4 | E♭, F, G♭ |
| 3 (G) | 1, 2, 4 | A♭, A, B |
| 2 (B) | 1, 3, 4 | C, D, E♭ |
| 1 (e) | 1, 2, 4 | F, G♭, A♭ |
Box 2 · frets 4–7
E♭ whole-half in box 2 runs from fret 4 to fret 7, 17 notes across 6 strings, from A♭ on the low E string at fret 4 up to B on the high e string at fret 7. The root falls on the A string at fret 6 and the B string at fret 4.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 4, 5, 7 | A♭, A, B |
| 5 (A) | 5, 6 | D, E♭ |
| 4 (D) | 4, 6, 7 | G♭, A♭, A |
| 3 (G) | 4, 5, 7 | B, C, D |
| 2 (B) | 4, 6, 7 | E♭, F, G♭ |
| 1 (e) | 4, 5, 7 | A♭, A, B |
Box 3 · frets 7–10
E♭ whole-half in box 3 runs from fret 7 to fret 10, 17 notes across 6 strings, from B on the low E string at fret 7 up to D on the high e string at fret 10. The root falls on the G string at fret 8.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 7, 8, 10 | B, C, D |
| 5 (A) | 8, 9 | F, G♭ |
| 4 (D) | 7, 9, 10 | A, B, C |
| 3 (G) | 7, 8, 10 | D, E♭, F |
| 2 (B) | 7, 9, 10 | G♭, A♭, A |
| 1 (e) | 7, 8, 10 | B, C, D |
Box 4 · frets 11–14
E♭ whole-half in box 4 runs from fret 11 to fret 14, 16 notes across 6 strings, from E♭ on the low E string at fret 11 up to G♭ on the high e string at fret 14. The root falls on the low E string at fret 11, the D string at fret 13 and the high e string at fret 11.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 11, 13, 14 | E♭, F, G♭ |
| 5 (A) | 11, 12, 14 | A♭, A, B |
| 4 (D) | 12, 13 | D, E♭ |
| 3 (G) | 11, 13, 14 | G♭, A♭, A |
| 2 (B) | 12, 13 | B, C |
| 1 (e) | 11, 13, 14 | E♭, F, G♭ |
Why it sounds like that
E♭ whole-half alternates whole and half steps from E♭: W-H-W-H-W-H-W-H. It shares six notes with E♭ bebop melodic minor, differing only in the fifth degree. The scale includes a tritone and a leading tone, giving it strong tension.
When to use it
E♭ whole-half fits diminished chords like E♭ diminished and E♭ diminished 7th. It also works over F major or F minor progressions. Use it for dark, tense lines in jazz or metal.
Which position to practise
Practise Box 1 first: the root sits on string 4, fret 1, and the range 1–5 keeps the stretch manageable. It sets up Box 2 by moving the root to string 5, fret 6.
Common questions
What notes are in E♭ whole-half?
E♭ whole-half scale contains E♭, F, G♭, A♭, A, B, C, and D. The pattern alternates whole and half steps. It is also called E♭ diminished scale. It is also spelled D♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
Which chords fit E♭ whole-half?
E♭ whole-half works over E♭ diminished and E♭ diminished 7th chords. It also fits F major and F minor chords. The scale's tritone and leading tone create strong resolution.
How does E♭ whole-half differ from E♭ bebop melodic minor?
E♭ whole-half and E♭ bebop melodic minor share six notes. The whole-half scale has A and B instead of B♭ and C♭. This changes the fifth degree and adds a tritone.