G#

Symmetric Scale

G# / A♭ Diminished (H-W)

8-note alternating half-whole scale. Tense, jazzy, used over dominant and dim7 chords.

Notes in G# Diminished (H-W)

Ab1
A2
B3
C4
D5
Eb6
F7
Gb8
Ab8

Chords in G# Diminished (H-W)

8 diatonic chords
DegreeChordNotesQuality
iAb°Ab – B – Ddiminished
iiA°A – C – Ebdiminished
iiiB°B – D – Fdiminished
ivC°C – Eb – Gbdiminished
vD°D – F – Abdiminished
viEb°Eb – Gb – Adiminished
viiF°F – Ab – Bdiminished
viiiGb°Gb – A – Cdiminished

Other Scales in G#

MajorAb, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, GNatural MinorAb, Bb, B, Db, Eb, E, GbHarmonic MinorAb, Bb, B, Db, Eb, E, GMelodic MinorAb, Bb, B, Db, Eb, F, GDorianAb, Bb, B, Db, Eb, F, GbPhrygianAb, A, B, Db, Eb, E, GbLydianAb, Bb, C, D, Eb, F, GMixolydianAb, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, GbLocrianAb, A, B, Db, D, E, GbMajor PentatonicAb, Bb, C, Eb, FMinor PentatonicAb, B, Db, Eb, GbBluesAb, B, Db, D, Eb, GbWhole ToneAb, Bb, C, D, E, GbDiminished (W-H)Ab, Bb, B, Db, D, E, F, GPhrygian DominantAb, A, C, Db, Eb, E, GbHungarian MinorAb, Bb, B, D, Eb, E, GLydian DominantAb, Bb, C, D, Eb, F, Gb

Diminished (H-W) in All 12 Keys

CC C# D# E F# G A A#C#D♭Db D E F G Ab Bb BDD D# F F# G# A B CD#E♭Eb E Gb G A Bb C DbEE F G G# A# B C# DFF Gb Ab A B C D EbF#G♭F# G A A# C C# D# EGG G# A# B C# D E FG#A♭Ab A B C D Eb F GbAA A# C C# D# E F# GA#B♭Bb B Db D E F G AbBB C D D# F F# G# A

Practice by Ear

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

Chords in G# / Ab Diminished (H-W)

The G# diminished (h-w) scale contains the notes Ab, A, B, C, D, Eb, F, Gb. 8-note alternating half-whole scale. Tense, jazzy, used over dominant and dim7 chords.

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

To develop your ear for the G# diminished (h-w) 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.