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A Leading Whole Tone scale

About the A Leading Whole Tone scale

A Leading Whole Tone is used for jazz and cinematic writing. Think of it as a whole-tone scale with a leading tone added on top. It is A Lydian Augmented with the sixth raised.

Its notes are A, B, C, D, E, F♯♯, and G. The formula is W W W W W H H.

Three of the notes in A Leading Whole Tone are black keys, C, D, and G.

Notes and intervals

1AARoot
2BBMajor 2nd
3C#C♯Major 3rd
4D#D♯Augmented 4th
5E#E♯Augmented 5th
6F##F♯♯Augmented 6th
7G#G♯Major 7th
StepsW W W W W H H
Semitones2-2-2-2-2-1-1
Degrees1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Fingering

Suggested fingering, follows standard fingering rules

Hand ABC sharpD sharpE sharpF double sharpG sharpA
Right hand12341234
Left hand54321321

Shapes

Chromatic

CC♯D♭DD♯E♭EFF♯G♭GG♯A♭AA♯B♭B

Circle of Fifths

CGDAEBF♯G♭C♯D♭G♯A♭D♯E♭A♯B♭F

Related scales

Leading Whole Tone in other keys

Modes

The same notes, starting on a different note.

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A Leading Whole Tone scale on piano shown as colored note dots
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