STRINGSCALES

A flamenco Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, G, A, Bb, C, C#, D#, E at frets 0, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12

A string: A, Bb, C, C#, D#, E, G, A at frets 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 12

D string: D#, E, G, A, Bb, C, C# at frets 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11

G string: G, A, Bb, C, C#, D#, E, G at frets 0, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12

B string: C, C#, D#, E, G, A, Bb at frets 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11

High E string: E, G, A, Bb, C, C#, D#, E at frets 0, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12

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A flamenco

The flamenco scale as catalogued here packs both 3rds into a phrygian frame: root, flat 2nd, flat 3rd, major 3rd, sharp 4th, 5th, flat 7th. In practice flamenco players slide between the minor and major 3rd over the phrygian cadence, and this seven note set writes that inflection into the scale itself. The b2 to root resolution remains the signature move.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

A

i°

Adim
B♭

bii°

B♭dim
C

biii

Cm
C♯

III+

C♯m#5
D♯

#IV

D♯maj
E

v

Am/E
G

bvii°

Gdim

flamenco in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • Slide between the minor 3rd (C) and major 3rd (C#) over a A major chord; the scale writes the flamenco inflection into its notes.
  • Ground everything in the bII (Bb) to root cadence; between those landings, both 3rds and the #IV (D#) are fair game.
  • Rasgueado on A major and the bII (Bb) major chord while the melody walks this scale: instant Andalusian texture.
  • Compare with phrygian dominant: this adds bIII (C) and #IV (D#), so use flamenco's extra notes as passing color, not destinations.

How to play A flamenco on guitar

Open A is the root and both E strings the fifth, so a drone spans three of the six strings. Open G joins as the minor seventh, which means four open strings are usable and only D and B need damping. Gdim covers bvii°. Aside from the open A, fret 2 on the G string is closest to the nut, and the low E takes the deepest at fret 5.

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