The dreamy, floating scale made entirely of whole steps. Only 2 unique shapes exist in all of music. Essential for jazz, impressionist music, and film scores.
Every interval in the whole tone scale is exactly 2 semitones (a whole step). No half steps exist anywhere in the scale, which gives it a completely symmetrical, uniform quality.
Because every note is 2 semitones apart, starting on C and starting on D produce the same set of 6 notes. All 12 starting notes belong to just 2 groups: the C group or the Db group.
The absence of half steps means no leading tones, no strong pulls toward resolution. Whole tone music feels suspended, floating, magical, or disorienting, depending on how it is used.
| Degree | 1 | 2 | 3 | #4 | #5 | b7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semitones | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| In C | C | D | E | F# | G# | A# |
The #4 (tritone) and #5 (augmented 5th) are highlighted in violet as they define the whole tone sound.
All 12 keys belong to one of two groups. Keys in the same group share the exact same 6 notes.
C, D, E, F#/Gb, G#/Ab, A#/Bb whole tone scales all use the same 6 notes. Starting on any of these 6 notes gives you the same scale, rotated.
Db, Eb, F, G, A, B whole tone scales all use the same 6 notes. These 6 notes are exactly the 6 notes NOT in Group A.
| Root | 1 | 2 | 3 | #4 | #5 | b7 | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | C | D | E | Gb | Ab | Bb | A (C group) |
| Db | Db | Eb | F | G | A | B | B (Db group) |
| D | D | E | Gb | Ab | Bb | C | A (C group) |
| Eb | Eb | F | G | A | B | Db | B (Db group) |
| E | E | Gb | Ab | Bb | C | D | A (C group) |
| F | F | G | A | B | Db | Eb | B (Db group) |
| Gb | Gb | Ab | Bb | C | D | E | A (C group) |
| G | G | A | B | Db | Eb | F | B (Db group) |
| Ab | Ab | Bb | C | D | E | Gb | A (C group) |
| A | A | B | Db | Eb | F | G | B (Db group) |
| Bb | Bb | C | D | E | Gb | Ab | A (C group) |
| B | B | Db | Eb | F | G | A | B (Db group) |
| Chord Type | Notes (from C) | Intervals | Feel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Augmented triad (C+) | C - E - G# | 1 - 3 - #5 | Floating, unresolved, dreamy |
| Aug dominant 7th (C7#5) | C - E - G# - Bb | 1 - 3 - #5 - b7 | Tense dominant, wants to resolve |
| Aug major 7th (Cmaj7#5) | C - E - G# - B | 1 - 3 - #5 - 7 | Neo-soul, impressionist, lush |
| 9th no 5th (C9 no5) | C - E - Bb - D | 1 - 3 - b7 - 9 | Open, airy dominant extension |
The Cmaj7#5 chord (1-3-#5-7) appears naturally in the whole tone scale. Stack it over a sus bass note for the floating, unresolved neo-soul sound associated with D'Angelo, Frank Ocean, and Thundercat.
Simple sustained augmented chord. Debussy used this for extended floating passages. Great for dream/intro sequences in film or ambient music.
Play the whole tone scale over V7 then resolve to a major or minor I. The whole tone creates unresolved tension that makes the resolution feel dramatic.
Descend through augmented chords in whole steps. Each chord uses the same whole tone group. Creates a classic impressionist floating descent (Debussy's Voiles).
Use the augmented maj7 on the IV chord for a lush floating color before returning to tonic. Common in contemporary R&B and jazz-influenced production.
| Feature | Whole Tone | Diminished | Chromatic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notes | 6 notes (hexatonic) | 8 notes (octatonic) | 12 notes |
| Intervals | All whole steps (W-W-W-W-W-W) | W-H or H-W alternating | All half steps |
| Unique shapes | Only 2 unique scales total | Only 3 unique scales total | 1 (same in every key) |
| Built-in chord | Augmented triad (1-3-#5) | Diminished 7th (1-b3-b5-bb7) | None (pure color) |
| Tension level | Medium - dreamy, floating | High - dissonant, dark | Very high - atonal |
| Best use | Dream/magic/floating over I+ or V7 | Dark tension, passing chords | Maximum dissonance, serialism |
| Famous users | Debussy, Ravel, film scores | Coltrane, bebop, metal | Berg, Schoenberg, 12-tone music |
One of the first and most famous compositions entirely in the whole tone scale. Creates a floating, impressionistic atmosphere.
Chromatic voice leading with whole tone color passing through augmented chords
Whole tone passages used for dreamlike floating sections in modal jazz context
Whole tone approach notes create the magical, otherworldly quality of the theme
Whole tone scale used as a substitution over augmented and dominant chords for unexpected color
Psychedelic guitar lines use whole tone fragments for disorienting, floating feel
| Genre | How It Is Used | Examples | Scale Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jazz | Over augmented chords (I+), over V7 for tension, whole tone runs as passing material | Bebop, Cool Jazz, Modal | Whole tone on aug or V7 chords |
| Film Score | Dream sequences, magic, mystery, time shifts, underwater scenes | Debussy, Williams, Zimmer | Whole tone for extended dreamy sections |
| Lo-Fi / Ambient | Augmented sus chords, floating arpeggios, ethereal pads | Nujabes-inspired production | Whole tone for melodic decoration |
| Neo-Soul | Augmented maj7 chords, chromatic approach notes, sophisticated voice leading | D Angelo, Frank Ocean, Thundercat | Fragments over I+ and IV+ chords |
| Classical / Impressionism | Extended whole tone passages, ambiguous tonality, color harmony | Debussy, Ravel, early 20th century | Full scale as primary language |
| Prog Rock / Experimental | Disorienting passages, atonal interludes, dream sequences | Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Yes | Whole tone fragments for color |
The whole tone scale spells out an augmented triad (1-3-#5). Any time you see a I+ or IV+ chord, the whole tone scale fits perfectly over it.
The whole tone scale on V7 creates a floating, unresolved tension. Try it over G7 in a C major context for a dreamy, suspended feel before resolving.
There are only 2 unique whole tone scales: the C group (C, D, E, Gb, Ab, Bb) and the Db group (Db, Eb, F, G, A, B). Every key belongs to one of these two groups.
If a melody sounds dreamy, floating, or unresolved and uses only whole steps with no half steps, it is probably whole tone. Use BeatKey to detect the key, then check if the melody fits the whole tone scale.
Stack 1-3-#5-7 for an augmented major 7th chord (Cmaj7#5). This is a signature neo-soul and impressionist jazz voicing that the whole tone scale directly generates.
The whole tone scale has no perfect 4th or 5th, so it sounds unstable in a tonal context. Use it as a passing color (1-4 bars) then resolve to a diatonic scale for maximum impact.
Detect the key of your track with BeatKey, then explore which whole tone group applies. Use the Scale Visualizer to see the notes on a piano keyboard.
The whole tone scale is a 6-note scale made entirely of whole steps (2 semitones each). Starting on C: C-D-E-F#-G#-A#-C. It sounds dreamy, floating, and ambiguous because there are no half steps and no strong pull toward any note as a resting point. There are only 2 unique whole tone scales in all of music.
Only 2. All 12 starting notes fall into one of 2 groups: the C group (C, D, E, F#, G#, A#) and the Db group (Db, Eb, F, G, A, B). C whole tone and D whole tone, for example, contain the same 6 notes. This symmetry is what makes the whole tone scale easy to learn but hard to make sound tonal.
Use it over augmented chords (C+, F+) or augmented dominant chords (G7#5) when you want a dreamy or floating quality. It is common in jazz (over augmented and dominant chords), film scores (dream and magic sequences), and impressionist music (Debussy, Ravel). Use it as a passing color for 1-4 bars, then resolve to a diatonic scale.
The whole tone scale produces an augmented triad (1-3-#5) as its core chord. In C: C-E-G#. It also generates augmented dominant 7th (C7#5 = C-E-G#-Bb) and augmented major 7th (Cmaj7#5 = C-E-G#-B). Because the scale is fully symmetric, every note produces the same type of chord, just rotated.
5 free tools for DJs, producers, and musicians. No account, no limits.
Detect BPM, key, and Camelot code from any audio file
Detect chord progressions in samples and audio files
Calculate BPM-synced delay times for any DAW
Find scale notes for any key, including whole tone
Convert notes to Hz and Hz to note names