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Octatonic Scale

An eight-note scale built from alternating whole tones and semitones, widely used in late Romantic and modern music.

Category
scales
Pronunciation
/ɒktəˈtɒnɪk skeɪl/
Origin

Greek (okto, eight) + Latin (tonus)

Length
187 words · 1 min read

About Octatonic Scale

The octatonic scale (also called the diminished scale) divides the octave into a symmetrical pattern of alternating whole and half steps. Two forms exist: whole-half (beginning W-H-W-H) and half-whole (beginning H-W-H-W).
v1 · 10/04/2026Browse all terms →