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 2 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 0 to fret 3, 16 notes across 6 strings, from E on the low E string at fret 0 up to G on the high e string at fret 3. The root falls on the low E string at fret 0, the D string at fret 2 and the high e string at fret 0.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 0, 2, 3 | E, F♯, G |
| 5 (A) | 0, 1, 3 | A, A♯, B♯ |
| 4 (D) | 1, 2 | D♯, E |
| 3 (G) | 0, 2, 3 | G, A, A♯ |
| 2 (B) | 1, 2 | B♯, C♯ |
| 1 (e) | 0, 2, 3 | E, F♯, G |
Box 2 · frets 2–5
E whole-half in box 2 runs from fret 2 to fret 5, 17 notes across 6 strings, from F♯ on the low E string at fret 2 up to A on the high e string at fret 5. The root falls on the D string at fret 2 and the B string at fret 5.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 2, 3, 5 | F♯, G, A |
| 5 (A) | 3, 4 | B♯, C♯ |
| 4 (D) | 2, 4, 5 | E, F♯, G |
| 3 (G) | 2, 3, 5 | A, A♯, B♯ |
| 2 (B) | 2, 4, 5 | C♯, D♯, E |
| 1 (e) | 2, 3, 5 | F♯, G, A |
Box 3 · frets 5–8
E whole-half in box 3 runs from fret 5 to fret 8, 17 notes across 6 strings, from A on the low E string at fret 5 up to B♯ on the high e string at fret 8. The root falls on the A string at fret 7 and the B string at fret 5.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 5, 6, 8 | A, A♯, B♯ |
| 5 (A) | 6, 7 | D♯, E |
| 4 (D) | 5, 7, 8 | G, A, A♯ |
| 3 (G) | 5, 6, 8 | B♯, C♯, D♯ |
| 2 (B) | 5, 7, 8 | E, F♯, G |
| 1 (e) | 5, 6, 8 | A, A♯, B♯ |
Box 4 · frets 8–11
E whole-half in box 4 runs from fret 8 to fret 11, 17 notes across 6 strings, from B♯ on the low E string at fret 8 up to D♯ on the high e string at fret 11. The root falls on the G string at fret 9.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 8, 9, 11 | B♯, C♯, D♯ |
| 5 (A) | 9, 10 | F♯, G |
| 4 (D) | 8, 10, 11 | A♯, B♯, C♯ |
| 3 (G) | 8, 9, 11 | D♯, E, F♯ |
| 2 (B) | 8, 10, 11 | G, A, A♯ |
| 1 (e) | 8, 9, 11 | B♯, C♯, D♯ |
Box 5 · frets 11–14
E whole-half in box 5 runs from fret 11 to fret 14, 17 notes across 6 strings, from D♯ on the low E string at fret 11 up to F♯ on the high e string at fret 14. The root falls on the low E string at fret 12, the D string at fret 14 and the high e string at fret 12.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 11, 12, 14 | D♯, E, F♯ |
| 5 (A) | 12, 13 | A, A♯ |
| 4 (D) | 11, 13, 14 | C♯, D♯, E |
| 3 (G) | 11, 12, 14 | F♯, G, A |
| 2 (B) | 11, 13, 14 | A♯, B♯, C♯ |
| 1 (e) | 11, 12, 14 | D♯, E, F♯ |
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 2, and the range 2–6 keeps the stretch manageable. It sets up Box 2 by moving the root to string 5, fret 7.
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.
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.