Diminished (half-whole) scale in C on cavaquinho
Diminished (half-whole) scale in C: C, Db, D#, E, F#, G, A and Bb, the degrees 1–b2–#2–3–#4–5–6–b7. The box shown is in open position, from the open strings up to fret 4; the lowest tonic sits on the 2nd string, fret 1, and the hand stays put in the region, with no position shift.
On the cavaquinho, four steel strings pack the scale into a short, bright space — there is nowhere for a note to hide. Its four steel strings give a bright, sharp attack that cuts through the mix and drives the beat.
Once the shape is memorized, play the box in thirds: the real memory test.
Text description
Open strings and frets 1 to 4, 4 strings. Root (C): string 2, fret 1.
- String 4 (D): fret 1, D sharp, sharp second, finger 1; fret 2, E, third, finger 2; fret 4, F sharp, sharp fourth, finger 4
- String 3 (G): open, G, fifth; fret 2, A, sixth, finger 2; fret 3, B flat, flat seventh, finger 3
- String 2 (B): fret 1, C, root, finger 1; fret 2, D flat, flat second, finger 2; fret 4, D sharp, sharp second, finger 4
- String 1 (D): fret 1, D sharp, sharp second, finger 1; fret 2, E, third, finger 2; fret 4, F sharp, sharp fourth, finger 4
In the diagram, each dot carries its scale degree; 1 is the tonic, highlighted.
See the full explanation of the diminished (half-whole) scale →