Jazz
The Diminished Scale
BY SID JACOBS
Jazzy Applications for this Symmetrical Scale
The diminished scale can be constructed simply by preceding each note of the diminished seventh chord with a note a semitone below. It follows
that the diminished scale consists of two augmented triads a semitone apart. In this example each note of the C diminished seventh chord is
preceded by a note a semitone below. This creates a symmetrical scale made up of alternating half-steps and whole-steps. Because the scale is
symmetrical at the minor third, any motif or chord from the scale can be transposed up or down a minor third and remain within the scale.
Here is the C diminished scale. It can also be viewed as the E%, G%, or A diminished scale.
Here we have a four-note voicing which is used to harmonize the scale. Each voice follows a scalar line. Every other chord has the same intervallic
shape as the voicings continue to replicate themselves in ascending minor thirds. An arpeggiated version of the same chord sequence follows in
the second staff.
Bmi7(b5)
B/C
Dmi7(b5)
D/Eb
Fmi7(b5)
F/Gb
G#mi7(b5) G#/A
2
3
2
3
3
4
4
4
5
6
5
6
6
7
7
7
8
9
8
9
9
10
10
10
11
12
11
12
12
13
13
13
Bmi7(b5)
B/C
Dmi7(b5)
D/Eb
Fmi7(b5)
F/Gb
G#mi7(b5) G#/A
23
2
3
3
4
4
4
5
6
5
6
6
7
7
7
8
9
8
9
9
10
10
10
11
12
11
12
12
13
13
13
Bmi7(b5)
Bmi7(b5)
B/C
B/C
Dmi7(b5)
Dmi7(b5)
D/Eb
D/Eb
3
4
6
7
2
4
5
7
3
4
6
7
2
3
5
6
2
3
2
34
4
4
35
6
5
67
7
7
6
This diagram shows how the diminished chord relates to the four dominant chords. Notice that the dominant chords are a minor third
apart from each other.
B7
D7
F7
A 7
C
9
% 7
5
3
E%
3
% 9
% 7
5
G A
5 7
3 5
% 9 3
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