What is a whole tone scale?

A whole tone scale is indeed characterized as a symmetrical scale composed of six whole steps. This means that each note in the scale is separated from the next by a whole step, which results in a scale that does not contain any half steps. Because of this symmetry, there are only two whole tone scales in music: one starting on C (C-D-E-F#-G#-A#) and the other starting on C# (C#-D#-E#-F#-G#-A#).

The whole tone scale is often used to create a dreamy or floating quality in music, as its uniform structure tends to be less stable than scales that include half steps. This contributes to the scale's unique sound and its typical usage in Impressionistic music and other genres seeking to evoke a particular atmosphere.