Phrygian scale · 7 notes
D Phrygian scale on guitar
The D Phrygian scale has 7 notes: D, E♭, F, G, A, B♭ and C. A minor scale with a ♭2: dark, Spanish-tinged and heavy.
Notes
- D
- E♭
- F
- G
- A
- B♭
- C
Formula
1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7
Steps
H – W – W – W – H – W – W
Sound
Dark, tense and Spanish-flavoured
D Phrygian on the whole fretboard
Every D Phrygian 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 as chord diagrams, and can search all 1,860 scales for the notes you play.
Intervals and formula
Measured from D, the D Phrygian scale is built from these intervals. It contains 2 flats (E♭ and B♭). Compared with D minor, it has E♭ (♭2) instead of E.
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D | root | 0 |
| ♭2 | E♭ | minor 2nd | 1 |
| ♭3 | F | minor 3rd | 3 |
| 4 | G | perfect 4th | 5 |
| 5 | A | perfect 5th | 7 |
| ♭6 | B♭ | minor 6th | 8 |
| ♭7 | C | minor 7th | 10 |
Chords in D Phrygian
Stack every other note of the scale and you get one chord on each degree. These are the chords that “belong” to D Phrygian: any of them will sound at home under a melody in D Phrygian.
- iDmD · F · ADm7
- ♭IIE♭E♭ · G · B♭E♭maj7
- ♭IIIFF · A · CF7
- ivGmG · B♭ · DGm7
- v°A°A · C · E♭Am7♭5
- ♭VIB♭B♭ · D · FB♭maj7
- ♭viiCmC · E♭ · GCm7
Progressions to try
- Dm – E♭ i–♭II · the Phrygian half-step
- Dm – E♭ – F – E♭ i–♭II–♭III–♭II
- Dm – Cm – B♭ – E♭ i–♭vii–♭VI–♭II
How to use D Phrygian
Reach for it over metal riffs, flamenco-flavoured passages, and vamps where the chord a half step above the root keeps returning. Its sound is dark, tense and Spanish-flavoured.
Tip: Riff on the root and the ♭2 on your lowest string. That half-step grind is the Phrygian sound in two notes.
- D Phrygian contains exactly the notes of B♭ major, played from its third note, D. See B♭ major.
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. They sound different because a different note is treated as home.
D Phrygian scale FAQ
What notes are in the D Phrygian scale?
The D Phrygian scale has 7 notes: D, E♭, F, G, A, B♭ and C. Its formula is 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7. It contains 2 flats (E♭ and B♭).
What chords are in D Phrygian?
Harmonising the D Phrygian scale in thirds gives Dm (i), E♭ (♭II), F (♭III), Gm (iv), A° (v°), B♭ (♭VI) and Cm (♭vii).
Where do you play the D Phrygian 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?
D Phrygian contains exactly the notes of B♭ major, played from its third note, D.