How to name more than seven scale tones?

Question

When a scale has more than seven tones, is there any **standard** way to name the scale tones vis-a-vis the major scale tones? For instance, this applies to the two variations of the diminished scale -- the whole-half scale and the half-whole scale -- each with eight tones. So what is the "best" way to enumerate those voices relative to the seven tones of the major scale? Whole-Half Diminished: 1 2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♯5 6 7 (8) Half-Whole Diminished: 1 ♭2 ♭3 3 ♭5 5 6 ♭7 (8)

Answer 1

Great question! There’s no “right” answer to this question- some say that when you’re ascending sharps should be used and when you’re descending flats are used. Personally, due to my background in jazz, I prefer to use:

1, b9, #9, 3, #11, b13, 6, b7

I like this because it lays out your alternate extensions of b9, #9, #11, and b13 really clearly. This gives the scale a lot of chordal use to me.

When I'm audiating or singing the scale in use the vowels “oo” for whole steps and “ee” for half steps. Helps keep things in tune! I love the diminished scale because there’s so many ways to use and interpret it