A Leading Whole Tone Bass Scale
Bass scale — fretboard diagramAdvanced
A Leading Whole Tone Scale — Notes and Intervals
The A Leading Whole Tone scale is a symmetrical scale that combines the weightless blur of the whole-tone system with a final bit of traditional resolution tension. On Bass, its notes are A, B, C#, D#, F, G, G#. It is used to create a sense of floating that eventually finds a home. Commonly used in Impressionist, Film Scores, Jazz. Notable players include Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel. Use as a transition device or over augmented chords that need to resolve. The leading tone provides a gentle gravitational pull absent in pure whole tone.
Notes: A, B, C#, D#, F, G, G#
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3M, 4A, 5A, 7m, 7M
Degrees: 1 2 3 #4 #5 b6 7
Formula: W-W-W-W-W-H-H
Number of notes: 7
Musical Character
Combines the weightless blur of the whole-tone scale with a final half-step that provides just enough resolution tension — floating that eventually finds a home.
Genres & Notable Artists
Genres: Impressionist, Film Scores, Jazz
Notable players: Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel
How to Use the A Leading Whole Tone Scale
Use as a transition device or over augmented chords that need to resolve. The leading tone provides a gentle gravitational pull absent in pure whole tone.
Origin & Background
A synthetic scale blending impressionistic whole-tone color with traditional leading-tone resolution.
How to Play A Leading Whole Tone on Bass
On bass, locate A on the E string at fret 5. Use a one-finger-per-fret approach starting from the root and span two to three strings. Keep your fretting hand relaxed and practice shifting between positions cleanly.
The A Leading Whole Tone scale contains 3 sharps (C#, D#, G#). This scale does not follow a traditional major or minor key signature, so reading from sheet music may require accidentals.
Practice Routine
Practice the A Leading Whole Tone scale by playing it ascending with one rhythmic feel (straight eighth notes) and descending with another (swing or triplets) at 100 BPM. This dual approach trains both technical accuracy and rhythmic versatility with the 7 notes of the scale.
Exotic scales like the Leading Whole Tone often work best as a melodic layer over a single root drone on A. Let the unique intervals speak for themselves without frequent chord changes. This scale is especially effective in jazz contexts.
Bass Tips
On bass, use the A Leading Whole Tone scale to build walking bass lines by targeting chord tones on strong beats and using scale tones as approach notes. This is the foundation of functional bass playing. Aim for a floating quality in your phrasing to match the natural character of this scale.
Related Scales
The A Leading Whole Tone scale contains 7 notes (A, B, C#, D#, F, G, G#). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Bass with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for A Leading Whole Tone
The A Leading Whole Tone scale can be played in 5 CAGED positions across the fretboard, each based on an open chord shape (C, A, G, E, D). As a 7-note scale, it also lends itself to 3-notes-per-string (3NPS) patterns that facilitate legato playing and diagonal shifting. Use the pattern selector above to isolate each position.