Whole tone scale: 6 notes, whole steps only
The whole tone scale has 6 notes, each a whole step apart. Hear its dreamy sound, see why only two whole tone scales exist, and test your ear.
The whole tone scale has 6 notes, each a whole step (2 semitones) from the next: C whole tone is C D E F♯ G♯ B♭ C (the last step is sometimes spelled A♯). Because every step is equal, there are only two different whole tone scales, and every note can sound like the tonic. It sounds dreamy, floating and unresolved.
Listen: C whole tone scale
C D E F♯ G♯ B♭ C
What is the formula of the whole tone scale?
| Value | |
|---|---|
| Notes | 6 |
| Semitones from the tonic | 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 |
| Step pattern | W-W-W-W-W-W |
What does the whole tone scale sound like?
Hazy and weightless, the sound of dream sequences. Debussy used it often; its chords are augmented triads.
How to recognise it by ear
- No half steps at all, and no perfect fifth above the tonic: nothing feels like home.
- Stack every other note and you get augmented chords (C E G♯).
- C whole tone and D♭ whole tone together contain all 12 notes.
Quick test: which scale is it?
Three scales. Name each one by its sound.
Score: / 3 (your score updates as you answer)
The two whole tone scales
| Scale | Notes | Hear it |
|---|---|---|
| C whole tone | C D E F♯ G♯ B♭ | |
| D♭ whole tone | D♭ E♭ F G A C♭ |
Frequently asked questions
How many notes are in the whole tone scale?
Six. Each is a whole step from the next, and six whole steps make an octave (6 x 2 = 12 semitones).
Why are there only two whole tone scales?
Starting a whole tone scale on any of its own notes gives the same six notes. Only a start a half step away (C versus D flat) gives new notes, so two scales cover all 12 notes.
What chords come from the whole tone scale?
Augmented triads (C E G sharp, D F sharp A sharp) and dominant chords with an augmented fifth, such as C7 sharp 5.
Who used the whole tone scale?
Claude Debussy is the best-known example; it later became a staple of film and TV dream sequences.