C Octatonic (Half-tone, Whole-tone) Scale on the Piano - How to play, How to improvise, How to compose music with this scale
Notes: C, Db, Eb, E, F#, G, A, and Bb - Key: C - Category: Nonatonic or Ennatonic Scales
The C Octatonic (Half-tone, Whole-tone) uses nine notes per octave. Because of this same reason it is a member of the so called Nonatonic or Ennatonic -scales that have Nine-note (or Nine-tone). On the piano keyboard, it is made up of four black keys: Db, Eb, F#, and Bb and four white keys: C, E, G, and A. This combination makes this scale - as well as the C Prometheus, C Prometheus Liszt, and C Prometheus Neapolitan - as great choices for composing or improvising music.
If we take a look a the key signature of the C Octatonic (Half-tone, Whole-tone) Scale we can find it has three flats and one sharps. Therefore, on sheet music you will find four accidentals on the score. The notes of this scale are: C, Db, Eb, E, F#, G, A, and Bb.
How to play the C Octatonic (Half-tone, Whole-tone) scale?
- 1To play the C Octatonic (Half-tone, Whole-tone) on your piano, start on the Root note. Play C, the first note of the scale.
- 2Continue with rest of the notes that shape the scale, play Db, Eb, E, F#, G, A, and Bb.
- 3Return to the home of the C Octatonic (Half-tone, Whole-tone) scale. Play again C -the tonic of the scale- to mark its ending.
How to play the scale in descending fashion?
- 1Begin on the last note. Play the C, the last (and first) note of the scale.
- 2Go down. Play Bb, A, G, F#, E, Eb, and Db.
- 3Reach the home again. Establish tonality by playing the tonic of the C Octatonic (Half-tone, Whole-tone) scale: C.
- 4Tip. If you want to learn how to improvise or compose your own music using the C Octatonic (Half-tone, Whole-tone) scale or any other scale, check out our step-by-step online piano lessons, piano courses, and interactive piano apps and enjoy thousands of interactive multimedia piano animations. Discover 'Logic Behind Music' and learn how to play your favorite songs, play by ear, improvise, and even create your own music!
