Phrygian Dominant scale · 7 notes
B Phrygian dominant scale on guitar
The B Phrygian dominant scale has 7 notes: B, C, D♯, E, F♯, G and A. Phrygian with a major 3rd: the flamenco and Middle-Eastern sound, and a metal staple.
Notes
- B
- C
- D♯
- E
- F♯
- G
- A
Formula
1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7
Steps
H – W+H – H – W – H – W – W
Sound
Exotic, Spanish and Middle-Eastern
B Phrygian dominant on the whole fretboard
Every B Phrygian dominant note from the open strings to the 15th fret in standard tuning (E A D G B E). The root, B, 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
B at fret 7. 6th position: frets 6–10.
In the Guitar Scale Finder app you also get the chords of B Phrygian dominant as chord diagrams, and can search all 1,860 scales for the notes you play.
Intervals and formula
Measured from B, the B Phrygian dominant scale is built from these intervals. It contains 2 sharps (D♯ and F♯). Compared with B Phrygian, it has D♯ (3) instead of D.
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | B | root | 0 |
| ♭2 | C | minor 2nd | 1 |
| 3 | D♯ | major 3rd | 4 |
| 4 | E | perfect 4th | 5 |
| 5 | F♯ | perfect 5th | 7 |
| ♭6 | G | minor 6th | 8 |
| ♭7 | A | minor 7th | 10 |
Chords in B Phrygian dominant
Stack every other note of the scale and you get one chord on each degree. These are the chords that “belong” to B Phrygian dominant: any of them will sound at home under a melody in B Phrygian dominant.
- IBB · D♯ · F♯B7
- ♭IICC · E · GCmaj7
- iii°D♯°D♯ · F♯ · AD♯°7
- ivEmE · G · BEm(maj7)
- v°F♯°F♯ · A · CF♯m7♭5
- ♭VI+G+G · B · D♯G+maj7
- ♭viiAmA · C · EAm7
Progressions to try
- B – C I–♭II · flamenco vamp
- B – Am – C – B I–♭vii–♭II–I
How to use B 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.
- B Phrygian dominant is the fifth mode of E harmonic minor: the same seven notes, starting from B. See E harmonic minor.
Where to find B on every string
Knowing where the root sits lets you start this scale anywhere. Here is every B between the open string and the 12th fret.
| String | Frets with B |
|---|---|
| High E (1st) | 7 |
| B (2nd) | 0, 12 |
| G (3rd) | 4 |
| D (4th) | 9 |
| A (5th) | 2 |
| Low E (6th) | 7 |
Same notes, different name
These scales from the Scale Finder library contain exactly the same notes as B Phrygian dominant. They sound different because a different note is treated as home.
B Phrygian dominant scale FAQ
What notes are in the B Phrygian dominant scale?
The B Phrygian dominant scale has 7 notes: B, C, D♯, E, F♯, G and A. Its formula is 1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7. It contains 2 sharps (D♯ and F♯).
What chords are in B Phrygian dominant?
Harmonising the B Phrygian dominant scale in thirds gives B (I), C (♭II), D♯° (iii°), Em (iv), F♯° (v°), G+ (♭VI+) and Am (♭vii).
Where do you play the B Phrygian dominant scale on guitar?
The root, B, is at fret 7 on the low E string and fret 2 on the A string. A good first shape covers frets 6–10, starting from the root on the 6th string.
Which scales share the same notes as B Phrygian dominant?
B Phrygian dominant is the fifth mode of E harmonic minor: the same seven notes, starting from B.