Notes in the A Whole Tone scale
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | A |
| 2 | B |
| 3 | C♯ |
| ♯4 | D♯ |
| ♯5 | E♯ |
| ♭7 | G |
Each note uses a different letter name, so the spelling follows the scale rather than the keyboard: A B C♯ D♯ E♯ G.
A Whole Tone scale formula
The pattern of steps from one note to the next is W – W – W – W – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step). Compared with the major scale the degrees are 1 2 3 ♯4 ♯5 ♭7.
How to practise the A Whole Tone scale
Learn it as a rotation of a scale you already know (lydian dominant is melodic minor starting on its 4th note, altered starts on its 7th) and play it over the matching chord with a drone on the root.
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes in the A Whole Tone scale?
The notes of the A Whole Tone scale are A B C♯ D♯ E♯ G.
What is the formula for the A Whole Tone scale?
The pattern of whole and half steps is W – W – W – W – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step). In scale degrees: 1 2 3 ♯4 ♯5 ♭7.
More A scales
A Major, A Natural Minor, A Harmonic Minor, A Melodic Minor, A Dorian, A Phrygian, A Lydian, A Mixolydian, A Locrian, A Major Pentatonic, A Minor Pentatonic, A Blues, A Lydian Dominant, A Altered, A Dorian ♭2, A Lydian Augmented, A Mixolydian ♭6, A Locrian ♯2, A Phrygian Dominant, A Hungarian Minor, A Double Harmonic, A Diminished (W–H), A Diminished (H–W), A Bebop Dominant, A Bebop Major
Explore the full scales library, find a scale from notes with the scale finder, or see every chord in every key in the chord chart.