STRINGSCALES

A phrygian dominant Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, F, G, A, Bb, C#, D, E at frets 0, 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12

A string: A, Bb, C#, D, E, F, G, A at frets 0, 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12

D string: D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C#, D at frets 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12

G string: G, A, Bb, C#, D, E, F, G at frets 0, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12

B string: C#, D, E, F, G, A, Bb at frets 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11

High E string: E, F, G, A, Bb, C#, D, E at frets 0, 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12

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A phrygian dominant

The phrygian dominant scale, the fifth mode of the harmonic minor scale, is phrygian with a major 3rd: flat 2nd, bright 3rd, and the augmented 2nd between them. It is the definitive flamenco and Middle Eastern guitar sound, and metal's favorite exotic mode. Over a dominant chord resolving to minor, or a static E-style vamp, it is unmistakable in one bar.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

A

I

Amaj
B♭

bII

B♭maj
C♯

iii°

C♯dim
D

iv

Dm
E

v°

Edim
F

bVI+

Faug
G

bvii

Gm

Characteristic note: C# (natural 3), the major third over a phrygian b2 that creates the Spanish sound.

Same notes, different mode

A phrygian dominant uses the same notes as the scales below. Start from a different note and you get a new mode built on the very same note set.

Bb lydian #9C# ultralocrianD harmonic minorE locrian 6F major augmentedG dorian #4

phrygian dominant in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • Hold the major 3rd (C#) against the flat 2nd (Bb): that augmented-2nd clash is the flamenco and klezmer sound; do not smooth it out.
  • Vamp A major to the major chord on bII (Bb) and back; that two-chord Andalusian cadence is the scale's natural habitat.
  • Over a V7 chord resolving to minor, A phrygian dominant is the classic choice; land on the 3rd of the target minor chord.
  • For metal, palm-mute the root and accent bII (Bb), III and bVI (F); the scale riffs itself.

How to play A phrygian dominant on guitar

Open A is the root and both E strings sound the fifth, which lets five open strings pedal under anything played above. Bb sits one fret above that open A, so the bII is a nut-position move. Closest fretted root: G string, fret 2. Fret 5 on the low E holds the lowest root, so the E-shape barre starts five frets up.

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