|
Here's a rundown of some dim. arpeggios. They're not scales, but
I use them instead of the scales a lot.
E A D G B E
===================== Here's a horizontal view of dim. arps.
o | | | | | ...you can see how they're symmterical in
--------------------- shape and design.
| o | | | |
---------------------
| | o | | |
---------------------
o | | o | | Here's how an arpeggio in position would
--------------------- look:
| o | | | |
--------------------- =====================
| | o | o | | | o | | |
--------------------- ---------------------
o | | o | o o | | o | O
--------------------- ---------------------
| o | | | | | o | | | |
--------------------- ---------------------
| | o | o | | | o | O |
--------------------- ---------------------
o | | o | o o | | O | O
--------------------- ---------------------
| o | | | |
--------------------- L__ the larger notes here show
| | o | o | one complete arpeggio. you can
--------------------- move it up three frets at a time
| | | o | o since its symmterical.
---------------------
| | | | | |
---------------------
| | | | o | Every note in a Diminished arpeggio
--------------------- is the root note due to the fact
| | | | | o the chord is built in minor 3rd
--------------------- intervals.
You can play scales from the arpeggios by chromatically approching
every note in the arpeggio by a half step (1 fret) below each chord
tone.
have fun,
wjb
|
| There are ZOONS of ways to play diminished scales. A diminished
scale is created by alternating whole-step and half-step intervals.
For this reason, there are only three possible diminished scales
serving all twelve major key signatures. Each of the three diminished
scales can be used to diminish four major key signatures. I'm only
discussing major key signatures, because an appropriate treatment
of the modes is beyond the scope of your question. However, a
diminished scale inverts every three frets. That means, if you
move a given diminished scale run three frets up or down, you'll
still be in the same diminished key signature.
Fret Numbers
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
High E ---|---|---|-O-|-O-|---|-O-|---|---|- A dim
B ---|---|---|-O-|---|-O-|-O-|---|---|- C dim
G ---|---|---|-O-|-O-|---|-O-|---|---|- Eb dim (D# dim)
D ---|---|---|-O-|---|-O-|-O-|---|---|- Gb dim (F# dim)
A ---|---|---|---|-O-|-O-|---|-O-|---|-
Low E ---|---|---|---|-O-|---|-O-|-O-|---|-
This scale is the diminished for the key signatures shown. Move
it up or down any multiple of THREE frets and it's still the same
scale serving the same key signatures. Move it UP ONE fret and
it becomes:
Bb/A# dim, Db/C# dim, E dim, G dim
Move it DOWN ONE fret and it becomes:
Ab/G# dim, B dim, D dim, F dim
Following are some more diminished patterns for the more adventurous.
There are many more ways to play this thing than shown here. Just
play mix and match with the patterns.
tc
Fret Numbers
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
High E ---|---|---|---|---|---|-O-|-O-|---|---|-O-|- A dim
B ---|---|---|---|---|-O-|-O-|---|---|-O-|---|- C dim
G ---|---|---|-O-|-O-|---|---|-O-|---|---|---|- Eb dim (D# dim)
D ---|---|-O-|-O-|---|---|-O-|---|---|---|---|- Gb dim (F# dim)
A ---|-O-|-O-|---|---|-O-|---|---|---|---|---|-
Low E -O-|-O-|---|---|-O-|---|---|---|---|---|---|-
Fret Numbers
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
High E ---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-O-|---|---|-O-|-O-|- A dim
B ---|---|---|---|---|---|-O-|---|---|-O-|-O-|---|- C dim
G ---|---|---|---|-O-|---|---|-O-|-O-|---|---|---|- Eb dim (D# dim)
D ---|---|---|-O-|---|---|-O-|-O-|---|---|---|---|- Gb dim (F# dim)
A ---|---|-O-|---|---|-O-|-O-|---|---|---|---|---|-
Low E ---|-O-|---|---|-O-|-O-|---|---|---|---|---|---|-
Fret Numbers
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
High E ---|---|---|---|-O-|---|-O-|---|---|-O-|---|- A dim
B ---|---|---|-O-|---|-O-|---|---|-O-|---|---|- C dim
G ---|---|---|---|-O-|---|-O-|---|---|-O-|---|- Eb dim (D# dim)
D ---|---|---|-O-|---|-O-|---|---|-O-|---|---|- Gb dim (F# dim)
A ---|---|-O-|---|-O-|---|---|-O-|---|---|---|-
Low E ---|-O-|---|-O-|---|---|-O-|---|---|---|---|-
|