There are two forms of the diminished scale and in this lesson I’m going to be using what is often termed the ‘half-whole’ version. The name simply describes the alternating half-step/whole step intervals which make up this form of the scale. The scale is symmetrical so is ideal for creating interesting intervallic lines and melodies. Most modern jazz improvisers have studied this scale extensively and use it regularly as do many modern-era blues musicians.

The half-whole version of the diminished scale is most commonly used by improvisers to create melodic lines over (usually altered) dominant 7th chords. Illustrated below are some common patterns.

If you haven’t used this scale much before then these melodic patterns will certainly help you become more familiar with it.

Enjoy!

Here is the same set of exercises as a PDF file: 10-diminished-lines PDF

Here is what they sound like as a MIDI file: