F# Half-whole Diminished Guitar Scale — Drop B
Guitar scale in Drop B tuning — fretboard diagram
F# Half-whole Diminished in Drop B — Notes and Intervals
The F# Half-whole Diminished scale is a symmetrical scale that is an essential tool for jazz players. On Guitar, the notes are F#, G, A, A#, C, C#, D#, E. It provides a sophisticated dissonant crunch when played over dominant seventh chords, allowing for complex, high-tension solos that still feel structured. Commonly used in Jazz, Bebop, Fusion, Film Scores. Notable players include Charlie Parker, Joe Pass, Pat Martino, George Benson. Use over dominant 7th chords (7, 7b9, 13b9). The jazz standard for creating structured tension over dominant harmony. Works over 4 roots spaced a minor 3rd apart.
Notes: F#, G, A, A#, C, C#, D#, E
Intervals: 1P, 2m, 3m, 3M, 4A, 5P, 6M, 7m
Degrees: 1 b2 b3 4 #5 6 7 b8
Formula: H-W-H-W-H-W-H-W
Number of notes: 8
Tuning: Drop B (B-F#-B-E-G#-C#)
Also known as: dominant diminished, messiaen's mode #2
About Drop B Tuning
Drop B tuning (B-F#-B-E-G#-C#) takes the guitar into territory traditionally reserved for 7-string instruments, delivering a subsonic heaviness that you can feel in your chest. This tuning has become essential in modern extreme metal, deathcore, and djent, where low-end clarity and rhythmic precision are paramount.
Drop B represents the practical limit of what a standard 6-string guitar can handle before tone quality degrades. With the right string gauge (12-60 or heavier) and proper setup, it delivers the crushing lows of a 7-string while keeping the familiar 6-string layout. Bands like Architects, Periphery (on some tracks), and Parkway Drive have used Drop B to create some of the heaviest riffs in modern metal.
Notable artists: Architects, Parkway Drive, Whitechapel, Born of Osiris, Emmure
Best for: Extreme metal riffs, deathcore breakdowns, djent chugs, and any style demanding the lowest possible 6-string tuning
Explore This Scale in Other Tunings
- F# Half-whole Diminished in Standard Tuning
- F# Half-whole Diminished in Drop D
- F# Half-whole Diminished in DADGAD
- F# Half-whole Diminished in Open G
- F# Half-whole Diminished in Baritone (B Standard)
- F# Half-whole Diminished in 7-string
- F# Half-whole Diminished in 8-string
- F# Half-whole Diminished in Drop C
- F# Half-whole Diminished in Open D
- F# Half-whole Diminished in Half Step Down
- F# Half-whole Diminished in Open E
- F# Half-whole Diminished in Open A
- F# Half-whole Diminished in Double Drop D
- F# Half-whole Diminished in Open C