Scales & Modes
C Dominant Diminished
Neck DiagramHalf-whole diminished. Fits dominant seventh chords with altered ninths.
How it sounds, and where to use it
Often described as dark, mysterious, suspense.
How usual it sounds: spread out on the circle of fifths: it sounds exotic. (3 gaps round the circle of fifths. See its shape.)
Same notes as B♭ Diminished: read its key signature from there.
Solo with it over:CCmC7Cm7Cm7♭5CdimCdim7C6
Chords on C made only from this scale's notes, so every note of the scale sits safely over them.
Mode 2 of A♯ Diminished: the same notes, started from its degree 2.
Formula: H-W-H-W-H-W-H-W · Arpeggios in C Dominant Diminished
| Step | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Note | C | D♭ | E♭ | E | F♯ | G | A | B♭ |
| Degree | 1 | ♭2 | ♭3 | 3 | ♯4 | 5 | 6 | ♭7 |
| Interval | P1 | m2 | m3 | M3 | TT | P5 | M6 | m7 |
Degree and Interval are the same thing written two ways: how far each note is from the root (♭2 and m2 here). See them all on the Intervals page → Click either one in the table to open that interval.
Modes
Two octaves across; each mode starts one scale degree later and is numbered from its own root. ▶ plays a mode.
The same notes, started from each degree: the degrees against major, the steps between them, and the notes.
| # | Degrees and steps | Notes | Name(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | 1♭2♭33♯456♭78HWHWHWHW | C D♭ E♭ E F♯ G A B♭ C | Dominant Diminished | |
| II | 12♭34♭5♯5678WHWHWHWH | C♯ D♯ E F♯ G A A♯ B♯ C♯ | Diminished |
Nobody has found a C Dominant Diminished track yet. The root drone on the Every 7-note scale page works for any scale meanwhile.
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For more on modes, check out
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