Map it slowly
Locate A, B, F, G on white keys and D♭, E♭ on black keys. Try each hand separately before playing together; choose a fingering that keeps the wrist relaxed, without stretching between notes.
Whole tone · A · Piano
A Whole tone scale on piano
The A Whole tone scale is A B D♭ E♭ F G — formula 1 2 3 ♯4 ♯5 ♭7, step pattern W–W–W–W–W–W. Use it over A7♯5: it is the scale for augmented dominant chords (7♯5, 7♭5) — a floating, symmetrical sound. Below, every note is marked on the two-octave keyboard; press play to hear it on a synthesized piano while each note lights up, or tap any key to sound that note.
Visualizer
A Whole tone on the keyboard.
Piano
Guitar · standard tuning
RootScale toneBeing played
Tempo100 bpm
Show
Sound
Tap any note on the diagram to hear it. Play loops the scale up and down one octave in eighth notes (switch Loop off for a single pass). “Show” switches or combines the fretboard and keyboard; “Sound” picks the instrument you hear. Audio is synthesized in the browser.
Your next 10 minutes
Make A Whole tone part of your playing
Make a short phrase
Play A – B – D♭ as two eighth notes and a quarter note, then rest for two beats. Answer with G – F – E♭. Use the space to hear the phrase before repeating it.
Hear it in context
Hold or repeat A as a drone. Play each note of A Whole tone above it, pausing on B and G. Compare their tension with the root. Then improvise using only three notes and two rhythms.
Listen for this: augmented dominant chords (7♯5, 7♭5) — a floating, symmetrical sound. Treat the scale as a palette, not a requirement to play every note. If a note clashes with a chord or melody, resolve it deliberately or leave it out.
Understand the sound
A Whole tone: from a pattern to a musical choice
Hear F in context
Every step is two semitones, so the scale has no half-step leading tone. The augmented fifth helps create its unsettled dominant colour.
In A Whole tone, degree ♯5 is F. Play A, then F, then A again. Sing the middle note before touching the instrument.
A mistake to avoid
Symmetry can make phrases sound directionless. Repeat a rhythm and give the phrase a clear destination.
Slow the player to 60 bpm. Record one short phrase and check whether its ending sounds deliberate. Increase the tempo only when you can repeat it without losing the pulse.
A Whole tone versus A Mixolydian
Shared pitches: A, B, D♭, G. Pitches in A Whole tone outside the comparison scale: E♭, F. Compare the sounds over the same root, at the same tempo.
Play A Mixolydian on piano →Your piano checkpoint
The black-key pitches in this collection are D♭, E♭. Use the groups of two and three black keys to orient yourself. Play A and B with each hand separately before combining the hands.
Before moving on, close the diagram and name the notes: A · B · D♭ · E♭ · F · G. Then play a two-bar phrase from memory and leave two bars of silence.
On guitar
The same scale on the fretboard.
Reference
A Whole tone — notes, degrees & intervals.
| Degree | Note | Interval from A | Step to next |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | unison (0 semitones) | W |
| 2 | B | major 2nd (2 semitones) | W |
| 3 | D♭ | major 3rd (4 semitones) | W |
| ♯4 | E♭ | augmented 4th (6 semitones) | W |
| ♯5 | F | augmented 5th (8 semitones) | W |
| ♭7 | G | minor 7th (10 semitones) | W |
Chord it implies: A7♯5. Use it for: augmented dominant chords (7♯5, 7♭5) — a floating, symmetrical sound.
Take it to the bandstand.Practice Radio streams endless changes to play A Whole tone over through all twelve keys, with the chord and scale shown live — plus ear-training and call & response modes.
▶ Open Practice RadioCommon questions
A Whole tone FAQ.
What are the notes of the A Whole tone scale?
A B D♭ E♭ F G. As scale degrees: 1 2 3 ♯4 ♯5 ♭7. It has 6 notes.
What chords does A Whole tone work over?
A Whole tone fits A7♯5 and, more generally, augmented dominant chords (7♯5, 7♭5) — a floating, symmetrical sound.
What is the formula of the Whole tone scale?
1 2 3 ♯4 ♯5 ♭7 — the step pattern from the root is W W W W W W (W = whole step, H = half step).
How do I play A Whole tone on piano?
Play A B D♭ E♭ F G A ascending from the root, then descend. The keyboard above shows every root in gold, chord tones outlined in amber and the remaining scale tones in teal; use the Play button to hear the fingering tempo.
Keep going
Whole tone in every other key.
Same scale on guitar · all Whole tone pages: Whole tone hub · theory: chord-scale theory.
Other scales from A