The diminished scale is an 8-note scale that’s constructed by alternating complete and half steps from any root be aware.

There are two diminished scales in fashionable music, the absolutely diminished and dominant diminished scales.

Although they share a reputation, every scale is used to stipulate totally different chords in your solos.

The dominant scale is used to solo over seventh chords, and the opposite is used to solo over dim7 chords.

As properly, every scale makes use of a special mixture of complete and half steps.

Fully diminished alternates complete and half steps, whereas dominant diminished alternates half and complete steps.

Every scale brings a novel sound to dim7 and seventh chords in your solos.

And each are important studying for any improvising guitarist.

On this lesson, you research diminished scale development, apply these scales to dim7 and 7b9 chords, and be taught diminished licks over progressions and songs.

Diminished Scale Fast Info

What’s a Diminished seventh scale? Also called the entire half diminished scale, the diminished scale is constructed by alternating complete and half steps and is used to solo over dim and dim7 chords. What’s a Dominant Diminished scale? In any other case generally known as the half-whole diminished scale, dominant diminished is constructed by alternating half and complete steps and is used to create a 13b9,#9,#11 sound in your solos. What are the notes in a Diminished chord? The notes are root, b3, b5, and bb7. For a Cdim7 chord the notes are C-Eb-Gb-A. What’s an Octatonic scale? Octatonic is one other identify for the diminished scale. Octa means 8 and tonic means notes. So an Octatonic scale is an 8-note scale, similar to half complete and complete half diminished. What number of Octatonic scales are there? There are Three totally different complete half and Three totally different half complete diminished (Octatonic) scales, C-C#-D, after that the notes repeat.

Diminished Scale Contents

1. Complete Half Diminished Scale
2. Half Complete Diminished Scale
3. Jazz Blues Diminished Solo

Complete Half Diminished Scale – Dim7 Chords

The primary octatonic scale (8-note scale) is the entire half diminished scale, used to solo over Dim7 chords.

The entire half scale is used much less usually than half complete, largely as a result of dominant chords seem extra incessantly than diminished chords.

Known as the “absolutely diminished scale,” complete half diminished alternates complete and half steps from any root be aware.

Therefore the identify.

This scale is used to solo over Dim7 chords, and DimMaj7 chords when you have the event to see that chord in a track.

When alternating complete and half steps, you produce the interval sample for absolutely diminished.

R 2 b3 Four b5 #5 6 7

Or, from the basis G the notes are.

G A Bb C Db D# E F#

As you possibly can see, this scale has Eight notes.

Due to this, you typically combine #’s and b’s when writing it out.

As properly, it’s important to use a letter identify twice, which you wouldn’t with modes, as they comprise 7 notes, one per letter identify within the musical alphabet.

Fully Diminished – One Octave

Now that you understand how to construct absolutely diminished scales, you possibly can take this scale to the fretboard.

Listed here are 12, one-octave absolutely diminished shapes to be taught within the given key of C.

When prepared, take this scale to each key in your guitar observe routine.

Studying one-octave absolutely diminished shapes means that you can apply this scale to quick chord progressions.

When chords transfer by at a quick tempo, or multiple chord per bar, giant scales are too cumbersome to make use of in your solos.

When that occurs, one-octave scale shapes come to the rescue.

Listed here are 4 absolutely diminished shapes starting together with your index finger.

Be taught every form from reminiscence, then placed on the jam observe and solo with these scales in your guitar soloing observe routine.

Cdim7 Backing Observe cdim7 backing observe Listed here are 4 absolutely diminished shapes beginning together with your center finger on the primary be aware.

The one exception is the final form, which begins in your index finger. Lastly, listed below are 4 absolutely diminished shapes that start together with your pinky finger.

When you’ve checked out these fingerings, don’t fear for those who can’t play all of them from reminiscence.

Choose a couple of to deal with and use them in your solos.

Over time, add extra fingerings as you develop your information of absolutely diminished on the fretboard. When finding out these fingerings, don’t solely run them with a metronome in your training.

Use absolutely diminished in your solos is a vital device when mastering this scale on guitar.

So, after studying any fingering, placed on the jam observe and use that fingering over the Cdim7 chord.

Then, take that scale to chord progressions and full songs in your research.

Fully Diminished – Two Octave

You now be taught two-octave absolutely diminished shapes.

These bigger shapes are helpful when soloing over slower tunes and progressions.

As all the time, be taught these absolutely diminished shapes from reminiscence first.

Then jam over the Cdim7 backing observe as you’re employed this scale from a soloing perspective in your routine.

Cdim7 Backing Observe cdim7 backing observe After getting these shapes beneath your fingers, combine them with one-octave shapes to get the total image of how one can play this scale throughout the fretboard.

Fully Diminished Licks

Probably the greatest methods to be taught a brand new scale is to review important jazz vocabulary for that scale.

Listed here are three absolutely diminished licks that you may apply to your guitar solos.

The primary lick is performed over a two-bar Gdim7 chord.

Click on to listen to complete half diminished scales 1 Subsequent, you apply Bb absolutely diminished to the bIIIdim7 chord in a turnaround chord development.

Click on to listen to complete half diminished scales 2 Lastly, right here’s G# absolutely diminished utilized to the #Idim7 chord in a turnaround.

Click on to listen to complete half diminished scales 3 When you’ve realized these licks, write out Three to five of your individual as you develop this scale in your observe routine.

Half Complete Diminished Scale – 7b9 Chords

The extra common of the 2 scales, half complete diminished is used over dominant chords while you need to convey a 13b9 sound to your solos.

As dominant chords are widespread in common music, equivalent to jazz, rock, and fusion, you see this scale pop up extra usually than absolutely diminished.

As a result of it’s used to solo over dominant chords, this scale is named the “dominant diminished scale.”

Because the identify suggests, dominant diminished is constructed by alternating half and complete steps from any root.

When doing so, you construct the next interval sample.

R b2 b3 3 #Four 5 6 b7

Or, from a C root the notes are.

C Db Eb E F# G A Bb

Discover that you simply create pressure when utilizing dominant diminished over seventh chords.

As you progress with this scale, the largest problem is resolving that pressure.

Ensure that it is a precedence, because it’s the distinction between success and failure when utilizing this scale in your solos.

As was the case with absolutely diminished, you typically combine sharps and flats when penning this scale, and have to make use of a be aware identify twice.

Although they share a reputation, every diminished scale has a novel sound all its personal.

To get your ears used to those sounds, play each again to again to listen to how they examine on the fretboard.

Dominant Diminished – One Octave

Now that you understand how to construct dominant diminished, you possibly can work this scale on the fretboard.

To start, listed below are one-octave scale shapes to be taught within the given key, C, then while you really feel assured, transfer on to all 12 keys in your observe routine.

As was the case with absolutely diminished, these small shapes are superb when soloing over quick chord progressions.

To get began, listed below are 4 dominant diminished shapes starting together with your index finger.

As soon as you possibly can play any of those shapes, jam with them over the C7 observe to listen to how this scale sounds in a lead guitar scenario.

C7 Backing Observe C7 Backing Observe Listed here are 4 dominant diminished shapes beginning together with your center finger.

The exception to this fingering guideline is the final form, which begins in your index finger. Lastly, listed below are 4 dominant diminished shapes that start together with your pinky finger.

Don’t overlook to memorize these one-octave shapes and solo with them over the backing observe in your research. After getting any of those fingerings, take it additional in your research by holding down a C7 chord and singing the notes of C dominant diminished.

Singing is an efficient method to construct your ears with any new sound, particularly one as tense as dominant diminished.

Even for those who’re a horrible singer, I certain am, give it a strive.

Simply lock your door, shut your home windows, and activate a fan. Nobody will hear, and you get your ears to the following degree of their growth very quickly.

Dominant Diminished – Two Octave

You now be taught two-octave dominant diminished shapes on the fretboard.

When working bigger scales, check out your fingers on every string.

Dominant diminished fingerings are symmetrical, similar to the size itself.

You should use fingers 1-2-4-Four on each string going up the size.

Then, on the best way down use 4-3-1-1.

This lets you use one fingering on every string up and then down the size.

Making it straightforward to memorize and apply throughout the fretboard.

C7 Backing Observe C7 Backing Observe After getting these two-octave shapes beneath your fingers, convey them along with the one-octave shapes you realized earlier.

Mixing scales of various lengths is a good way to push your self in new artistic instructions in your solos.

You may discover that you simply choose sure phrases with shorter scales, and totally different ones with longer scales.

Give this combination train a strive and see the place it leads you in your observe routine.

Dominant Diminished – Licks

On this closing part, you be taught three dominant diminished licks over common chord progressions.

When studying these strains, don’t simply deal with the stress created by this scale over every seventh chord. As an alternative, discover how this pressure is resolved within the development.

To paraphrase Stevie Ray Vaughan:

“It’s actual straightforward to go outdoors, nevertheless it’s a lot more durable to get again inside.”

Should you use dominant diminished in your solos and don’t resolve the stress, you’re gonna have a nasty time.

However, for those who can resolve that pressure correctly, you convey new ranges of vitality to your solos.

There’s a high quality line between a mistake and a cool lick.

Discovering that line is your aim with any pressure creating scale equivalent to dominant diminished.

This first line is performed over a G7 chord, and the stress is resolved to the basis on the finish of the phrase.

Click on to listen to half complete diminished scale 1 Subsequent, you apply G dominant diminished to the the V7 in a ii-V-I chord development.

Click on to listen to half complete diminished scale 2 Lastly, listed below are the G and C dominant diminished scales utilized to the primary 4 bars of a 12-bar blues development.

Click on to listen to half complete diminished scale 3 When you be taught these licks, provide you with Three to five of your individual as you convey this scale into your musical persona on the guitar.

Jazz Blues Diminished Solo

Right here’s a solo over a G blues development that makes use of diminished sounds over nearly each chord.

Be taught every phrase one by one, then convey them collectively to play the solo as a complete.

There’s additionally a backing observe to make use of as you convey these scales into your individual improvised jazz solos.

Backing Observe g-dim-blues-backing

Click on to Hear diminished-scale-solo