STRINGSCALES

B phrygian dominant Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

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

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

D string: D#, E, F#, G, A, B, C at frets 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10

G string: G, A, B, C, D#, E, F#, G at frets 0, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12

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

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

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B 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:

B

I

Bmaj
C

bII

Cmaj
D♯

iii°

D♯dim
E

iv

Em
F♯

v°

F♯dim
G

bVI+

Gaug
A

bvii

Am

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

Same notes, different mode

B 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.

C lydian #9D# ultralocrianE harmonic minorF# locrian 6G major augmentedA dorian #4

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

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

How to play B phrygian dominant on guitar

Root comes free on the open B string, and low E, A, G and high E fill in four more open scale tones, so a tonic pedal costs nothing. C is the bII, one fret above that open root, which means the half-step move happens at the nut. Fret 7 on the low E marks the lowest root, and fret 2 on the A is the nearest fretted one. Set a capo at fret 2 for A fingerings.

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