A

Symmetric Scale

A Diminished (W-H)

8-note alternating whole-half scale. The inverse of H-W diminished.

Notes in A Diminished (W-H)

A1
B2
C3
D4
D#5
F6
F#7
G#8
A8

Chords in A Diminished (W-H)

8 diatonic chords
DegreeChordNotesQuality
iA°A – C – D#diminished
iiB°B – D – Fdiminished
iiiC°C – D# – F#diminished
ivD°D – F – G#diminished
vD#°D# – F# – Adiminished
viF°F – G# – Bdiminished
viiF#°F# – A – Cdiminished
viiiG#°G# – B – Ddiminished

Other Scales in A

MajorA, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#Natural MinorA, B, C, D, E, F, GHarmonic MinorA, B, C, D, E, F, G#Melodic MinorA, B, C, D, E, F#, G#DorianA, B, C, D, E, F#, GPhrygianA, A#, C, D, E, F, GLydianA, B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#MixolydianA, B, C#, D, E, F#, GLocrianA, A#, C, D, D#, F, GMajor PentatonicA, B, C#, E, F#Minor PentatonicA, C, D, E, GBluesA, C, D, D#, E, GWhole ToneA, B, C#, D#, F, GDiminished (H-W)A, A#, C, C#, D#, E, F#, GPhrygian DominantA, A#, C#, D, E, F, GHungarian MinorA, B, C, D#, E, F, G#Lydian DominantA, B, C#, D#, E, F#, G

Diminished (W-H) in All 12 Keys

CC D D# F F# G# A BC#D♭Db Eb E Gb G A Bb CDD E F G G# A# B C#D#E♭Eb F Gb Ab A B C DEE F# G A A# C C# D#FF G Ab Bb B Db D EF#G♭F# G# A B C D D# FGG A A# C C# D# E F#G#A♭Ab Bb B Db D E F GAA B C D D# F F# G#A#B♭Bb C Db Eb E Gb G ABB C# D E F G G# A#

Practice by Ear

Scale RecognitionIdentify the Diminished (W-H) scale by ear →Play A Diminished (W-H)Hear the scale and practice recognising it →Chord Recognition TrainerIdentify the chords above by ear →Progression TrainerIdentify common progressions in this key →

Chords in A Diminished (W-H)

The A diminished (w-h) scale contains the notes A, B, C, D, D#, F, F#, G#. 8-note alternating whole-half scale. The inverse of H-W diminished.

The diatonic chords in A diminished (w-h) are A° (i), B° (ii), C° (iii), D° (iv), D#° (v), F° (vi), F#° (vii), G#° (viii). These are the chords you can use when writing or improvising in this key — every note in each chord belongs to the A diminished (w-h) scale.

To develop your ear for the A diminished (w-h) sound, use the scale and chord trainers linked above. Being able to recognise these sounds by ear — not just read them from a chart — is what separates musicians who truly hear music from those who only read it.