IMCJ Paper # 12

Functional Resources of Scales

by Glen Halls © All Rights Reserved
IX. The Diminished Scale.

Note, for all diminished scales useful to play to a tonic, there are three basic contexts.

1. The original or natural mixed dominant context. Viio7 in the key

2. The partial dominant, possibly dominant context, #II or #IV in a key.

3. The subdominant or bII bIV V bVII context, also called a blues or C7 context.
A given diminished scale will only naturally relate to one of these contexts. It will seem to relate to two
contexts, as the scale contains two discrete sets of diminished 7th chords, but only one will show the
possibility of mi(7)-5 voicings. Also, the true scale will contain the true diminished 7th interval.

Diminished scales may be divided into Upper and Lower tetrachords. the –lower tetrachord contains the
original diminished 7th tones, the upper tetrachord starts on the 2nd. Only the lower tetrachord will
support mi(7)-5 chords. Only the upper tetrachord will support upper partial structures such as major and
minor triads, major and minor 7ths. This is all discussed in other papers by the author.

The present paper looks at transposed modal versions of the basic scale. The 'original' or 'common'
version of the diminished scale is this: ( common, why? , why spelling? )

Which is really in Mode Six, or Phrygian position.

(1 ) -2 2 3 4 5 -6 -7 7

Note. This mode supports the Mixed dominant context. The blues context is present but only as
diminished 7ths over an imposed C pedal. This is truly a Bo7 scale which plays to C minor.

For this scale we will start with the original(phyrigan) position and not the Lydian. This is because the
scale replicates itself many times, as we shall see.
 4th voicings:

F B E Ab Db G or Ab D G C F B or B E Ab C F Bb ( quasi noise one.) or

Quasi Db F B E Ab Db or Db F B E A Db or Db G C F Bb( A not there)

Note: C is not found naturally as root in this scale. Nonetheless there are some great chords over a C
pedal. Note also, as there is no C and yet a G7 is clearly possible, we may rightly term this scale also an
'altered' scale.

I. . . . VII-(7)-5 , II-(7)-5, IV-(7)-5 and bVI-(7)-5 over I. Spellings are false. All Mixed dominant/tonic
suspension.
Also ii(7) and ii(7)+11 / I Subdominant/tonic suspensions.

bVI(7)+5 9 / I Subdominant/tonic suspension.

IV-(7) 9 11/ I Subdominant/tonic suspension.

IV-(7)-6 9 11 5 high./I Subdominant/tonic suspension.

V7-9-1 13 true diminished to minor. mixed dominant/tonic suspension. ( I probably wouldnêt play a 5 in
this chord)

bVI quasi minor (7)+5 9 11 / I MIXED Dominant /tonic suspension.

All the other chords have been discussed above over the C pedal. Simply remove the pedal.
 Mode One ( Lydian ) position of the diminished scale.

1 +1 +2 3 +4 5 6 +6 (+7)

Note: The true diminished spelling which also support mi(7)-5 chords is from A# This is like VII in B
minor. While the partial dominants are possible, they are spellable only as diminished 7ths. ( note, parial
dominants means dominants , but the tonic is also in the chord)

#Iio7, #Ivo7, vio7 , Io7 all partial dominants.

There is however, the possibility of V-(7) +5 as a pure dominant here. ( quasi )

The mixed dominant context is of no use, as it plays to D minor

The Blues context is present, but we really want an E diminished 7th, i.e., with a Db. This will be the
proper spelling to play to IV or produce blues tonics.
 Therefore, this is a rather useless scale set, except for that dominant chord.

Mode 2, Ionian , of the diminished scale.

1 2 +2 (3) 4 +4 +5 6 7

Note: the true diminished spelling supporting mi(7)-5 voicings is from D# to C. This scale appears to
primarily support the Partial Dominant context. ( it is like Vii in E minor ) The mixed dominant context
is also present, but with poor spellings and only with diminished 7th chords. ( and not with hip upper
partials )
 note that partial dominants also sound great over I pedals, and work with very strong dominant effect
over dominant pedals.

Upper partial structures, I.e. 7th and minor 7th chords.

II 7 9 #11 13. partial dominant

IV(7)+11. Mixed dominant, but no higher partials

#VI-7, interesting possibility of pure dominant, but with no higher partials

VII7 -9-10 possible pure dominant with tolerable minor 9th exception. Kind of a cool chord.

tc

4ths:

F B E A D G# or F# B E A D G# or G# C F B E A . interesting. or

G# C F# B E A . or C F# B E A D or D G# C F# B E or D# G# C F# B E
 no mixolydian position ( mode 3 ) of the diminished scale.

Mode 4 ( Dorian ) of the diminished scale ( wrong, edit)

1 +1 (2) -3 3 +4 5 6 -7

Note this scale is enharmonically the same as the lydian . The lydian position plays to D minor, and was
rather useless. The true diminished spelling here plays to D minor, rendering this set basically useless (
but with Eb not D#) s

o this might give minor tonics. The blues context is almost there, but we would really want a -9 to IV ( or
a Db) ( see locrian)

The V -(7)+5 is present, but with incorrect spelling making this a useless set.(footnote) extra note
 Mode 5, Aeolian of the diminished scale.

1 2 -3 4 +4 (5) -6 6 7

This scale is enharmonically equivalent to the Ionian, but here with the Eb instead of D# , and the Ab
instead of the G#. The proper spelling is from F# to Eb, and would play to G minor, which limits itês use.
It is properly a Partial dominant set, but only fromthe F#. ( The ionian is the best partial dominant set)
The presence of Eb and Ab may lead to useful upper partial structures from the upper tetrachord. The
mixed dominant is again present, but with not upper partials.

bVI7 +11. This is actually the French augmented sixth

IV7+11 with 9 is the lone mixed dominant. why is bVI there, what is a correction.

bIII(7)+5 9 and bIII(7)sus +5 are interesting subdominant corrections - possible over V pedal especially.

4ths:

Eb Ab D (G) C F or F B Eb Ab D G or C F# B Eb Ab or Ab D G C F
 tc

Mode 6, or Phrygian, is the original, discussed first.

Mode 7 ( locrian) of the diminished scale.

1 -2 -3 3 (4) -5 5 6 -7 8

This is a very important mode, and probably the best version of the blues context. Enharmonically
equivalent to the dorian, the proper spelling here is from E.

III-(7)-5, V-(7)-5, bVII-(7)-5, and bII-(7)-5. All blues tonics over V pedal. ( these are often voiced in
4ths, i.e., omit the 3rd. ) Note the -(7)+5 option also present, and sounds good.
I7 - 9 -10 13 . Blues tonic.

Upper partial structures serve only to enhance lower partials and donêt play to C.

4ths:

D G C F Bb Eb or Eb A Db Gb C F or

Gb C F Bb Eb or A Db Gb C F or Bb E A Db Gb

Mode 8 of the diminished scale.

1 2 -3 4 -5 -6 6 (-7) -8

Nothing new or helpful

 no mode 9 of the diminished scale.

mode 10 of the Diminished Scale.

1 -2 -3 -4 -5 5 (-6) - - 7 -7

enharmonically cool bIV(7)+5 9 is possible as Subdominant to minor.

Mode 11

1 (-2) - - 3 -3 4 -5 -6 - - 7 -8
nothing new or useful.