Whole Tone Scales
The Whole Tone Scale (a.k.a. the Augmented Scale) is, as the name implies, built from notes with intervals of a whole note. This is a so-called symmetrical scale, meaning that the interval is the same throughout the scale. A whole tone is the same as two steps on the keyboard – a half tone is consequently one step.
The scale consists of six tones (the pictures show one octave including both the start and end note, the tonic). This is a rather uncommon scale, but one of the styles it is used in is bebop and when often played over dominant seventh chords. As you may notice there is only two different sets of notes:
1. C, D, E, F#, G#, Bb
2. C#, D#, F, G, A, B
What differs besides these sets is only which note a scale starts on.
C
Notes: C, D, E, F#, G#, Bb, C
Fingering (LH): 3, 2, 1, 4, 3, 2, 1
Fingering (RH): 1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
C# / Db
Notes: C#, D#, F, G, A, B, C#
Fingering (LH): 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1, 3
Fingering (RH): 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2
D
Notes: D, E, F#, G#, A#, C, D
Fingering (LH): 2, 1, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2
Fingering (RH): 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2
D# /Eb
Notes: D#, F, G, A, B, C#, D#
Fingering (LH): 4, 3, 2, 1, 4, 3, 2
Fingering (RH): 4, 1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4
E
Notes: E, F#, G#, A#, C, D, E
Fingering (LH): 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2
Fingering (RH): 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3
F
Notes: F, G, A, B, C#, Eb, F
Fingering (LH): 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1
Fingering (RH): 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4
F# / Gb
Notes: F#, G#, A#, C, D, E, F#
Fingering (LH): 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 1, 2
Fingering (RH): 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4
G
Notes: G, A, B, C#, D#, F, G
Fingering (LH): 3, 2, 1, 4, 3, 2, 1
Fingering (RH): 1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
G# / Ab
Notes: G#, A#, C, D, E, F#, G#
Fingering (LH): 3, 2, 1, 2, 1, 3, 2
Fingering (RH): 2, 3, 1, 2, 1, 2, 3
A
Notes: A, B, C#, D#, F, G, A
Fingering (LH): 2, 1, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3
Fingering (RH): 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3
A# / Bb
Notes: A#, C, D, E, F#, G#, A#
Fingering (LH): 4, 3, 2, 1, 4, 3, 2
Fingering (RH): 4, 1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4
B
Notes: B, C#, D#, F, G, A, B
Fingering (LH): 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1
Fingering (RH): 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4
Whole Tone Scales overview
C: C, D, E, F#, G#, Bb, C
C#/Db: C#, D#, F, G, A, B, C# / Db, Eb, F, G, A, B, Eb
D: D, E, F#, G#, A#, C, D
D#/Eb: D#, F, G, A, B, C#, D# / Eb, F, G, A, B, Db, Eb
E: E, F#, G#, A#, C, D, E
F: F, G, A, B, C#, Eb, F
F#/Gb: F#, G#, A#, C, D, E, F# / Gb, Ab, Bb, C, D, E, Gb
G: G, A, B, C#, D#, F, G
G#/Ab: G#, A#, C, D, E, F#, G# / Ab, Bb, C, D, E, Gb, Ab
A: A, B, C#, D#, F, G, A
A#/Bb: A#, C, D, E, F#, G#, A# / Bb, C, D, E, Gb, Ab, Bb
B: B, C#, D#, F, G, A, B (or B, C#, D#, E#, F##, A, B)
Intervals: 1, 2, 3, 4#, 5#, 7b
Semi-notes: 2 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 2
Formula: Whole, Whole, Whole, Whole, Whole, Whole