Phrygian Dominant scale · 7 notes
D Phrygian dominant scale on guitar
The D Phrygian dominant scale has 7 notes: D, E♭, F♯, G, A, B♭ and C. Phrygian with a major 3rd: the flamenco and Middle-Eastern sound, and a metal staple.
Notes
- D
- E♭
- F♯
- G
- A
- B♭
- C
Formula
1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7
Steps
H – W+H – H – W – H – W – W
Sound
Exotic, Spanish and Middle-Eastern
D Phrygian dominant on the whole fretboard
Every D Phrygian dominant note from the open strings to the 15th fret in standard tuning (E A D G B E). The root, D, 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
D at fret 10. 9th position: frets 9–13.
In the Guitar Scale Finder app you also get the chords of D Phrygian dominant as chord diagrams, and can search all 1,860 scales for the notes you play.
Intervals and formula
Measured from D, the D Phrygian dominant scale is built from these intervals. It contains 1 sharp (F♯) and 2 flats (E♭ and B♭). Compared with D Phrygian, it has F♯ (3) instead of F.
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D | root | 0 |
| ♭2 | E♭ | minor 2nd | 1 |
| 3 | F♯ | major 3rd | 4 |
| 4 | G | perfect 4th | 5 |
| 5 | A | perfect 5th | 7 |
| ♭6 | B♭ | minor 6th | 8 |
| ♭7 | C | minor 7th | 10 |
Chords in D Phrygian dominant
Stack every other note of the scale and you get one chord on each degree. These are the chords that “belong” to D Phrygian dominant: any of them will sound at home under a melody in D Phrygian dominant.
- IDD · F♯ · AD7
- ♭IIE♭E♭ · G · B♭E♭maj7
- iii°F♯°F♯ · A · CF♯°7
- ivGmG · B♭ · DGm(maj7)
- v°A°A · C · E♭Am7♭5
- ♭VI+B♭+B♭ · D · F♯B♭+maj7
- ♭viiCmC · E♭ · GCm7
Progressions to try
- D – E♭ I–♭II · flamenco vamp
- D – Cm – E♭ – D I–♭vii–♭II–I
How to use D 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.
- D Phrygian dominant is the fifth mode of G harmonic minor: the same seven notes, starting from D. See G harmonic minor.
Where to find D on every string
Knowing where the root sits lets you start this scale anywhere. Here is every D between the open string and the 12th fret.
| String | Frets with D |
|---|---|
| High E (1st) | 10 |
| B (2nd) | 3 |
| G (3rd) | 7 |
| D (4th) | 0, 12 |
| A (5th) | 5 |
| Low E (6th) | 10 |
Same notes, different name
These scales from the Scale Finder library contain exactly the same notes as D Phrygian dominant. They sound different because a different note is treated as home.
D Phrygian dominant scale FAQ
What notes are in the D Phrygian dominant scale?
The D Phrygian dominant scale has 7 notes: D, E♭, F♯, G, A, B♭ and C. Its formula is 1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7. It contains 1 sharp (F♯) and 2 flats (E♭ and B♭).
What chords are in D Phrygian dominant?
Harmonising the D Phrygian dominant scale in thirds gives D (I), E♭ (♭II), F♯° (iii°), Gm (iv), A° (v°), B♭+ (♭VI+) and Cm (♭vii).
Where do you play the D Phrygian dominant scale on guitar?
The root, D, is at fret 10 on the low E string and fret 5 on the A string. A good first shape covers frets 9–13, starting from the root on the 6th string.
Which scales share the same notes as D Phrygian dominant?
D Phrygian dominant is the fifth mode of G harmonic minor: the same seven notes, starting from D.