Phrygian Dominant scale · 7 notes
A Phrygian dominant scale on guitar
The A Phrygian dominant scale has 7 notes: A, B♭, C♯, D, E, F and G. Phrygian with a major 3rd: the flamenco and Middle-Eastern sound, and a metal staple.
Notes
- A
- B♭
- C♯
- D
- E
- F
- G
Formula
1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7
Steps
H – W+H – H – W – H – W – W
Sound
Exotic, Spanish and Middle-Eastern
A Phrygian dominant on the whole fretboard
Every A Phrygian dominant note from the open strings to the 15th fret in standard tuning (E A D G B E). The root, A, is shown in red so you can always find home.
A shape to learn first
You don’t need the whole neck at once. This hand position is anchored on a root note on the 6th (low E) string, which is how most guitarists find a scale in any key.
Root on the 6th (low E) string
A at fret 5. 4th position: frets 4–8.
In the Guitar Scale Finder app you also get the chords of A Phrygian dominant as chord diagrams, and can search all 1,860 scales for the notes you play.
Intervals and formula
Measured from A, the A Phrygian dominant scale is built from these intervals. It contains 1 sharp (C♯) and 1 flat (B♭). Compared with A Phrygian, it has C♯ (3) instead of C.
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | root | 0 |
| ♭2 | B♭ | minor 2nd | 1 |
| 3 | C♯ | major 3rd | 4 |
| 4 | D | perfect 4th | 5 |
| 5 | E | perfect 5th | 7 |
| ♭6 | F | minor 6th | 8 |
| ♭7 | G | minor 7th | 10 |
Chords in A Phrygian dominant
Stack every other note of the scale and you get one chord on each degree. These are the chords that “belong” to A Phrygian dominant: any of them will sound at home under a melody in A Phrygian dominant.
- IAA · C♯ · EA7
- ♭IIB♭B♭ · D · FB♭maj7
- iii°C♯°C♯ · E · GC♯°7
- ivDmD · F · ADm(maj7)
- v°E°E · G · B♭Em7♭5
- ♭VI+F+F · A · C♯F+maj7
- ♭viiGmG · B♭ · DGm7
Progressions to try
- A – B♭ I–♭II · flamenco vamp
- A – Gm – B♭ – A I–♭vii–♭II–I
How to use A Phrygian dominant
Reach for it over the V7 chord of a minor key, flamenco, metal and Middle-Eastern-flavoured melodies. Its sound is exotic, Spanish and Middle-Eastern.
Tip: Over the V7 in a minor key (E7 in A minor), E Phrygian dominant uses exactly the notes of A harmonic minor.
- A Phrygian dominant is the fifth mode of D harmonic minor: the same seven notes, starting from A. See D harmonic minor.
Where to find A on every string
Knowing where the root sits lets you start this scale anywhere. Here is every A between the open string and the 12th fret.
| String | Frets with A |
|---|---|
| High E (1st) | 5 |
| B (2nd) | 10 |
| G (3rd) | 2 |
| D (4th) | 7 |
| A (5th) | 0, 12 |
| Low E (6th) | 5 |
Same notes, different name
These scales from the Scale Finder library contain exactly the same notes as A Phrygian dominant. They sound different because a different note is treated as home.
A Phrygian dominant scale FAQ
What notes are in the A Phrygian dominant scale?
The A Phrygian dominant scale has 7 notes: A, B♭, C♯, D, E, F and G. Its formula is 1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7. It contains 1 sharp (C♯) and 1 flat (B♭).
What chords are in A Phrygian dominant?
Harmonising the A Phrygian dominant scale in thirds gives A (I), B♭ (♭II), C♯° (iii°), Dm (iv), E° (v°), F+ (♭VI+) and Gm (♭vii).
Where do you play the A Phrygian dominant scale on guitar?
The root, A, is at fret 5 on the low E string and fret 0 and 12 on the A string. A good first shape covers frets 4–8, starting from the root on the 6th string.
Which scales share the same notes as A Phrygian dominant?
A Phrygian dominant is the fifth mode of D harmonic minor: the same seven notes, starting from A.