Diminished scales are powerful. For starters there are actually two 
diminished scales- The whole-half and the half-whole. The whole-half in C is 
C-D-D#-F-F#-G#-A-A#-C. The Half-whole is in C C-C#-D#-E-F#-G-A-A#-C. 
Changing the A# to the enharmonic Bb one can see that the half-whole scale 
contains both a Cm7 and C7 chord. Both scales have four sets of m/Maj 
triads. In C whole-half takes a D triad. There is a D and A but also a F# 
and a F natural. In that sense one can make both a Dmaj and a Dm triad. In 
this scale also the F A and C have this triad power. BTW the letters spell a 
m7 on the second degree, got a use for that? Like wise, the spellings of the 
M7 on the first degree has the triad feature on the half-whole scale, C D# G 
A#. Also is both diminished scales, there are two dimiminished7 chords, one 
made up of even numbered scale degrees and the other made up of odd degrees.

Pentatonics somehow can fit the diminished scales. Take the C whole-half 
scale. The major pentatonic scale is in C C-D-E-G-A. The C w-h is C D D# F 
F# G# A B. If you bend the D#, F#, and G# up a half step, you get E, G and 
A. Using () to denote bent notes, One can now play C maj pentatonic 
C-D-(E)-(G)-(A). A nice biting Ta!-Ta!-Ta! ending. Even better is if one 
goes up sixth halftones to F. A F maj pentatonic is F-G-A-C-D. Bending the 
F# in C w-h to G, (or pre-bend G# and release to G) and you have all the 
notes. Both the three bend and one bend trick are movable.

Finally the C Half-Whole diminished scale, C-C#-D#-E-F#-G-A-A#-C. For the C 
major pentatonic, one plays the C, bends up the C#, then either bends up the 
D# or plays the E, then plays both the G and A. Another pentatonic four 
half-tones down, is the A major pentatonic. This is A-B-C#-E-F#. play the 
A, bend up the A#, play the C#,E, and F#. This is also movable. In closing, 
the diminished scales are powerful. Try using w-h or h-w for playing 
ascending rifts and the other for descending. In both C dim scales, the odd 
scale degrees spell out C-Eb-Gb-A-the dim7 chord. The bends make the run of 
the mill pentatonic scales more biting. And remember the relative minor 
minor pentatonic scales are always in effect. So for each major pentatonic 
pattern, see if the relative minor minor pentatonic scale works, you just 
might be surprised. Last, drawing a grid of all the keys on a note card, and 
taking with you during waits, with some curiosity, will provide rewards. 

Keep on picking on. Ron Frashure 1/17/00.