Harmony From The Diminished Scale

Here’s some harmony from the diminished scale – triads and extended chords that exist within G diminished.

In this particular key you have all the open strings available apart from the A string. So you might think about combining the two in some way.

For example, play G on the 4th string, 5th fret, and Bb on the 3rd string 3rd fret. Then add in the open B and top E. Now move the G and Bb around in minor 3rds whilst keeping the open B and E ringing.

One of the annoying things about working with the diminished scale is that you can get lost in the ‘move things around in minor 3rds’ thing.

To counter this, I try to find ONE thing I like. And then I step away from the scale :)

Now I command you to go forth and find something from this scale!

And share that one thing in the comments right here.

Hurry up! I’m waiting… :)

Comments on Harmony From The Diminished Scale

  1. Mike Outram says:

    My mistake – I meant to write Abº∆

    My preference is for clarity and simplicity :) Like, let’s say you had to make a chart for someone and they were sight reading your chord chart in front of 300 people. What are you going to write then?

    If you write Abm/maj7(#11) no 5th – you can imagine the disasters that are waiting for you there ;)

    G/Ab seems pretty clear to me.

    But you know if you take those other structures like:

    X X 6 4 5 3, or X X 6 6 3 3, etc, then I think it’s less hassle & clearer to just write the notation. Maybe if it’s definitely from the diminished sound I might add some text explanation on top like ‘diminished vibe’ or some equally technical term ;)

  2. Ben Ricketts says:

    But there is no major 7th tone from the perspective of G? So it surely has to stay G/Ab?
    Yes I now realise there is no 5th in Abm/maj7(#11), would it be valid to add ‘no 5th’ ?

  3. Mike Outram says:

    Hey Ben, Ah, I get you. Thanks for sharing :)

    Yep, G/Ab is a way better way to describe that structure, or Gdim(∆), or Gº∆. Probably best is just to spell out the voicing. In text I do it like this: X X 6 4 3 3. When you write ‘Ab minor’ it’s assumed there’s a 5th (an Eb) which is not in that diminished scale.

    Have you tried inverting any of those structures?

  4. Ben Ricketts says:

    Sorry make them Abm/maj7(#11) or m/maj7(#5) and repeat in b3rds. This can also be seen as G/Ab or G6/Ab

  5. Ben Ricketts says:

    Abm/maj7 Bm/maj7 Dm/maj7 Fm/maj7, make them all m/maj13’s or m/maj7(#5)
    Db/Ab, E/B, G/D, Bb/F
    Perhaps

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