Guitar scale · exotic
Bb Whole Tone Scale
Symmetrical scale built entirely of whole steps, producing a floating, surreal dream atmosphere.
Tap any note to hear it.
Bb Whole Tone Scale tab: all 5 positions
Each tab climbs from the low E string to the high e string. Play it up, then back down.
e|---------------------------6-8-10-| B|-----------------------7-9--------| G|-------------------7-9------------| D|------------6-8-10----------------| A|--------7-9-----------------------| E|-6-8-10---------------------------|
e|--------------------------------8-10-12-| B|---------------------------9-11---------| G|----------------------9-11--------------| D|--------------8-10-12-------------------| A|---------9-11---------------------------| E|-8-10-12--------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------10-12-14-| B|-------------------------------11-13----------| G|-------------------------11-13----------------| D|----------------10-12-14----------------------| A|----------11-13-------------------------------| E|-10-12-14-------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------14-16-| B|-------------------------------15-17-------| G|----------------------13-15-17-------------| D|----------------14-16----------------------| A|-------13-15-17----------------------------| E|-14-16-------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------16-18-| B|-------------------------------17-19-------| G|----------------------15-17-19-------------| D|----------------16-18----------------------| A|-------15-17-19----------------------------| E|-16-18-------------------------------------|
How to play Bb Whole Tone on guitar
Find the root first: Bb is at fret 6 on the low E string and fret 1 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every Bb on the neck; the gold ones are the rest of the scale's home chord (3, ♯5, ♭7), the safest notes to land on at the end of a phrase.
Learn it one box at a time. Position 1, the E shape, sits at frets 6–10. Once it's under your fingers, move to position 2 (the D shape) and play the notes the two boxes share, then keep going up the neck. After all five, the scale joins up into one pattern across the whole fretboard.
Degrees
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | Bb |
| 2 | C |
| 3 | D |
| ♯4 | E |
| ♯5 | F# |
| ♭7 | Ab |
Fretwise · Free on iPhone & Android
Practise Bb Whole Tone anywhere, even offline.
This page is a small slice of Fretwise. The app adds practice: exercises that play as tab, a new routine every day, and the tools to tune and keep time. On iPhone, iPad and Android, no sign-up.
Free
- 65 scales and 56 chord types in every key, with CAGED shapes
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- A new Daily 15 routine every day, plus free exercises
- Maqam & makam between the frets, and the Name the Note quiz
One purchase
- 282 exercises that play as tab, and routines with a speed trainer
- Chord & Scale Finder: tap the neck, get the name
- Theory Lab and the Progression Builder with 51 genre loops
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Questions
- What notes are in the Bb Whole Tone Scale?
- The Bb Whole Tone Scale has 6 notes: Bb, C, D, E, F#, Ab.
- What is the formula of the whole tone scale?
- 1 2 3 ♯4 ♯5 ♭7, which is the step pattern W W W W W W (W = whole step, H = half step).
- Where do I play Bb Whole Tone on the guitar?
- The root Bb is at fret 6 on the low E string and fret 1 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 6–10, and four more positions connect it up the neck.