Eb Whole Tone Scale, Note by Note

Eb, F, G, A, B and Db spell the Eb whole tone scale. Its pitches also describe the scales rooted on C#, F, G, A and B, so the key is a handy shortcut once you know one of those.

The root sits on the 11th fret of the low E string and the 6th fret of the A string. For help deciding when this sound belongs, read about choosing a scale by shared tones.

Play the Eb whole-tone scale

Use the step menu in the player to switch between the single-string run and the box shapes.

Notes of the Eb whole-tone scale

NoteDegreeIntervalSemitones from root
Eb1Root0
F2Major 2nd2
G3Major 3rd4
A#4Tritone6
B#5Minor 6th8
Dbb7Minor 7th10

Structure

Eb whole-tone scale notes:

Eb F G A B Db

How the whole-tone scale is built:

The whole-tone scale is built from the degrees 1 2 3 #4 #5 b7, which gives the step pattern W-W-W-W-W-W (W = whole step, H = half step).

Counting in semitones from the root: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. That makes it a 6-note scale.

Eb Whole-Tone Scale Guitar Patterns

Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.

Eb Whole-Tone Scale scale guitar pattern - On one string (D)

On one string (D)

Eb Whole-Tone Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 1

Box pattern — position 1

Eb Whole-Tone Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 2

Box pattern — position 2

Eb Whole-Tone Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 3

Box pattern — position 3

Eb Whole-Tone Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 4

Box pattern — position 4

Eb Whole-Tone Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 5

Box pattern — position 5

The whole-tone scale in other keys

C C# Db D D# Eb E F F# Gb G G# Ab A A# Bb B

All about the whole-tone scale →