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ENEN
Standard
Scales
Chords
B♭
Half Diminished
Frets: 0 - 24

Formula
Notes

M2-m2-M2-m2-M2-M2
A♯
B♯
C♯
D♯
E
F♯
G♯
E
E
B♯
G♯
D♯
A♯
1
F♯
C♯
E
F♯
2
A♯
B♯
3
G♯
D♯
F♯
C♯
G♯
4
E
B♯
5
A♯
C♯
G♯
D♯
A♯
6
F♯
E
7
B♯
D♯
A♯
B♯
8
C♯
G♯
E
F♯
C♯
9
B♯
10
D♯
A♯
F♯
C♯
G♯
D♯
11
E
E
12
B♯
G♯
D♯
A♯
13
F♯
C♯
E
F♯
14
A♯
B♯
15
G♯
D♯
F♯
C♯
G♯
16
E
B♯
17
A♯
C♯
G♯
D♯
A♯
18
F♯
E
19
B♯
D♯
A♯
B♯
20
C♯
G♯
E
F♯
C♯
21
B♯
22
D♯
A♯
F♯
C♯
G♯
D♯
23
E
E
24

Basic Scale Information

  • Name: Half Diminished
  • Type: Locrian scale with major sixth
  • Formula: 1 – ♭2 – ♭3 – 4 – ♭5 – 6 – ♭7
  • Relation with Major Scale: Sixth mode of the melodic minor scale.

Theoretical Aspects

  • Sound Character: Dark but stable, it evokes restrained tension, not completely resolved.
  • Typical Chord: m7♭5 (half-diminished)
  • Modal Context: Used in minor progressions as the II chord of a minor cadence (e.g., iim7♭5 – V7 – i).
  • Harmonic Use: Improvisation on m7♭5 chords or as a mode in dark modal contexts.

Musical Context

  1. Musical Styles: Jazz, Classical, Contemporary
  2. Songs using the scale:
    • Nardis - Miles Davis
    • Footprints - Wayne Shorter
    • Solar - Miles Davis
    • Naima - John Coltrane
  3. Evoked Atmosphere: Suspended, dramatic, fragile but elegant.

Chords in Scale