Diminished Scales vs Diminished Whole Tone Scales

Woof. I’m learning her!

https://www.learnjazzstandards.com/blog/unlocking-diminished-vs-altered-scales/

So there’s the Diminished Scale- which is half-whole-half-whole all the way (HWHWHWHW)

You could also think of it like: 1, b9, #9, 3, #11, 5, 13, b7, 8

I suppose this makes sense to use this scale over a dom7 chord, since altered 9s, 11s, 13s and b7s are commonly found in Dom7 chords.

AND then there’s the Altered Scale which is HWHWWWW

This scale is also called the “Super Locrian,” “Diminished Whole Tone” or “Dim-Whit Scale”

The scale is comprised of 1, b9, #9, 3, #11, b13, b7, 8

The Altered scale is a mode of the melodic minor- it starts on the 7th note of a melodic minor, in the same way that Locrian is the 7th mode of the major scale (hence, SUPER locrian!)

Using these chords

If you want to use a diminished scale over a diminished chord, just start with a whole step instead of a half step.

The Whole-Half Dim Scale is:

WHWHWHWH or 1 2 b3 4 #4 #5 6 7 8

So what’s next?

Well, I’ll tell you. I have to write a bunch of licks using this diminished and diminised whole tone scale.

Wish me luck.

Still doing further reading…

https://www.simplifyingtheory.com/diminished-scale-how-to-use/#:~:text=The%20diminished%20scale%20used%20on,semitone%20up%20from%20the%20dominant).&text=Since%20B%20is%20one%20semitone,the%20dominant%20will%20resolve%20in.