Scale
E Whole Tone Scale
Interactive keyboard
Highlighted notes form this scale.
Notes
E · F♯ · G♯ · A♯ · B♯ · C𝄪
Root: E
Intervals
1 · 2 · 3 · ♯4 · ♯5 · ♯6
How it is built
This scale starts on E and applies the intervals 1, 2, 3, ♯4, ♯5, ♯6. The result contains 6 distinct pitch classes per octave.
Explore related combinations
Guide and musical context
About E Whole Tone Scale
E Whole Tone Scale uses the notes E, F♯, G♯, A♯, B♯, C𝄪. Its character is floating and ambiguous because every step is a whole tone.
Character and sound
Floating and ambiguous because every step is a whole tone.
Musical context and history
Whole-tone is symmetric and has only two distinct collections before transposition repeats. Its color became especially familiar in Impressionist music and later in jazz and film scoring.
How and where it is used
It works over augmented chords and some altered dominants, and for passages without a strong tonal hierarchy.
In Theory view you can hear the pitch collection without depending on a specific fingering. Then switch to Piano, Guitar, Ukulele or Mandolin to see how the same notes are physically distributed on each instrument.
Harmonic and musical relationships
A practical way to understand this scale is to compare it with the major and minor scales starting on E. The altered notes are exactly what create its characteristic color.
The formula on this page is 1 · 2 · 3 · ♯4 · ♯5 · ♯6 and, from E, produces the notes E · F♯ · G♯ · A♯ · B♯ · C𝄪.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the E Whole Tone Scale?
The notes are E, F♯, G♯, A♯, B♯, C𝄪.
What is its interval formula?
The formula is 1 · 2 · 3 · ♯4 · ♯5 · ♯6.
How does it sound and what is it used for?
Floating and ambiguous because every step is a whole tone. It works over augmented chords and some altered dominants, and for passages without a strong tonal hierarchy.
Can I view it on a specific instrument?
Yes. Use the selector near the top to switch between Piano, Guitar, Ukulele and Mandolin without changing the musical combination you are studying.