Please watch this video and follow along below: Diminished Scales video for Miranda

There are 2 types of diminished scales... those that begin with a half-step, and those that begin with a whole-step. But those types follow the same pattern of alternating half-steps and whole-steps. (

Examples:

C diminished scale (beginning with a half-step) (H W H W H W H W...): C C# D# E F# G A Bb C

C diminished scale (beginning with a whole-step) (W H W H W H W H...): C D Eb F F# G# A B C

Diminished scales beginning with a WHOLE-STEP are used over fully diminished 7 chords. So, in the second scale above, this scale would be used over a Reference : seventh chords jazz symbols

Diminished scales beginning with a HALF-STEP are often used over regular 7 chords and 7 chords with a b9 (C7b9). By using this scale, the soloist is altering the 7 chord to include both the b9 and the +9. THIS IS THE MOST COMMONLY USED DIMINISHED SCALE IN JAZZ, so when a jazz musician refers to a diminished scale, this is probably the scale they are talking about.

Because of the nature of this scale, there are only 3 diminished scales... those that begin on any note in the C fully diminished chord (C, Eb, F#, A), those that begin on any note of the C# fully diminished chord (C#, E, G, Bb), and those that begin on any note of the D fully diminished chord (D, F, Ab, B).

Please practice these 3 diminished scales on your primary instrument. When you've got them down, contact me to test out of these.