A whole-tone scale is a scale in which each note is separated from adjacent notes by a whole step (whole tone) and whose octave thus contains six pitches. This contrasts with the chromatic scale, which consists entirely of half steps and contains twelve pitches, and with the various diatonic scales, which are combinations of whole and half steps and contain seven pitches.
Because all tones are the same distance from their adjacent tones, the whole tone scale has no leading tone and thus no single tone stands out. That is, they do not give a strong impression of the tonic or tonality, resulting in an indistinct or blurred sensation. A number of classical composers have made effective use of this scale.