STRINGSCALES

F phrygian dominant Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: F, Gb, A, Bb, C, Db, Eb at frets 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11

A string: A, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, Gb, A at frets 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12

D string: Eb, F, Gb, A, Bb, C, Db at frets 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11

G string: A, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, Gb at frets 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11

B string: C, Db, Eb, F, Gb, A, Bb at frets 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11

High E string: F, Gb, A, Bb, C, Db, Eb at frets 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11

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F 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:

F

I

Fmaj
G♭

bII

G♭maj
A

iii°

Adim
B♭

iv

B♭m
C

v°

Cdim
D♭

bVI+

D♭aug
E♭

bvii

E♭m

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

Same notes, different mode

F 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.

Gb lydian #9A ultralocrianBb harmonic minorC locrian 6Db major augmentedEb dorian #4

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

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

How to play F phrygian dominant on guitar

Only one open string belongs here, the A at the third, so nothing else comes free. Fret 1 on the low E is where the lowest root sits, giving the E-shape barre a home at the nut. Gb sits one fret up as the bII, meaning that half-step move needs no position change. Bbm and Ebm take iv and bvii. A capo at fret 1 swaps in E fingerings.

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