Octatonic Scale = Diminished Scale	Theory Things William Wieland
An octatonic scale is an 8 tone scale which alternates ½ steps & whole steps... ( ½   W   ½   W   ½   W   ½   W ) ...or whole steps & ½ steps. ( W   ½   W   ½   W   ½   W   ½ )	In jazz, the octatonic scale is called the diminished scale. It is created with 2 diminished seventh chords. Compare the following pitches to the first scale.

Only 3 octatonic (or diminished) scales exist:
This diminished scale sounds great with a C7b9, C7#9, C7#11 or C13.		1st 4 notes of C minor and 1st 4 notes of F sharp minor (C and F sharp are a tritone apart.)