STRINGSCALES

G♯ phrygian dominant Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

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

A string: A, B#, C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A at frets 0, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12

D string: D#, E, F#, G#, A, B#, C# at frets 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11

G string: G#, A, B#, C#, D#, E, F# at frets 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11

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

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

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G# 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:

G♯

I

G♯maj
A

bII

Amaj
B♯

iii°

B♯dim
C♯

iv

C♯m
D♯

v°

D♯dim
E

bVI+

Eaug
F♯

bvii

F♯m

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

Same notes, different mode

G# 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.

A lydian #9B# ultralocrianC# harmonic minorD# locrian 6E major augmentedF# dorian #4

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

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

How to play G♯ phrygian dominant on guitar

Open A is the flat second here, so the tonic-to-bII move is available against an open string. Both E strings are in the key at the sixth, and the nearest root to the nut is fret 1 on the G string. Fret 4 on the low E gives the lowest root, which puts the E-shape barre four frets up from the nut. Capo fret 1 for G fingerings.

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