A Whole Tone is a symmetrical scale from the bright, consonant major family. Six notes, all whole steps — completely ambiguous, dreamlike. The Whole Tone scale contains 6 notes: A, B, C#, Eb, F, G. With a formula of 1 - 2 - 3 - b5 - #5 - b7, it uses eight or more notes for a denser harmonic palette. This scale is suitable for intermediate players looking to expand their vocabulary.

The A Whole Tone scale is constructed using the interval formula 1 - 2 - 3 - b5 - #5 - b7, which means it contains the intervals Root (1), Major Second (2), Major Third (3), Tritone (b5/#4), Minor Sixth (b6), Minor Seventh (b7) above the root A. The notes are A, B, C#, Eb, F, G. Starting from the A major scale (A, A#, B, C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#), the Whole Tone scale takes the natural major degrees. Key characteristics: All whole steps. No tonal center.

A Whole Tone sounds bright, uplifting, and consonant. The major third (C#) gives it its characteristic happy quality, while the perfect fifth (E) provides harmonic stability. The natural half-step intervals create gentle forward motion. The emotional feeling is one of brightness, resolution, and optimism. This scale is the foundation of Western music and appears in virtually every genre from classical to pop.

A Whole Tone works best in Impressionist, Jazz, Film Score music. Use it over major chord progressions to create bright, consonant melodies. It works beautifully as a starting point for improvisation over I-IV-V and I-V-vi-IV progressions. Compatible chords and progressions: 1. aug 2. I+ 3. IV+ Related scales: - Augmented Scale - Lydian Augmented - Chromatic

Practice Routine for A Whole Tone: 5 minutes: Play each note of the A Whole Tone scale slowly, one at a time. Listen carefully to the character of each interval. Ascending and descending through the scale. Focus on clean, even tone on each note. 10 minutes: Practice the scale with a metronome at 60 BPM. Play one note per beat ascending, then descending. Gradually increase to two notes per beat (eighth notes) and four notes per beat (sixteenth notes). Focus on timing precision. 20 minutes: Apply the scale over a backing track in A major. Improvise melodies using only the Whole Tone scale notes. Experiment with different rhythmic patterns, slides, bends, and vibrato. Focus on musical phrasing. 30 minutes: Learn the scale in multiple positions across the fretboard. Connect different positions with smooth transitions. Practice playing the scale over a chord progression (aug). Record yourself and analyze your phrasing. Common Mistakes to Avoid: - Playing too fast before understanding the scale's sound character - Not listening to the intervals individually - Ignoring the scale's unique character (each scale has a distinctive mood) - Skipping the descending practice — descending is equally important Intermediate Tips: Learn the scale in at least 3 positions across the fretboard. Practice connecting positions. Try improvising with only 3-4 notes at a time to develop melodic ideas.