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D phrygian dominant scale

The D phrygian dominant scale is D E♭ F♯ G A B♭ C: seven notes, flamenco and Middle Eastern. Its formula is 1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7.

Make a beat in D major

Opens the free editor with a lo-fi beat in D major to play D phrygian dominant over. No account needed to start.

The notes of D phrygian dominant

From D up to D: half, step and a half, half, whole, half, whole, whole. Tap a key to hear it.

D E♭ F♯ G A B♭ C D

DGACDE♭F♯B♭
The notes of D phrygian dominant scale by scale degree
DegreeNoteFrom the root
1DRoot
♭2E♭Minor second
3F♯Major third
4GPerfect fourth
5APerfect fifth
♭6B♭Minor sixth
♭7CMinor seventh

How D phrygian dominant is built

The G harmonic minor scale played from its fifth note, D: the same notes with D as home. Against D major, the major scale on the same note, it has E♭ instead of E, B♭ instead of B and C instead of C♯.

The harmonic minor scale played from its fifth note: phrygian with a major third. The half step above the root and the step and a half after it give the sound of flamenco, klezmer and Middle Eastern music. The phrygian dominant scale in every key.

Chords in D phrygian dominant

One chord on each note of the scale, built from its own notes. The numeral says which note it starts on, against the D major scale: capitals are major, small letters minor.

Play D phrygian dominant over a beat

A beat on the chords of D major. Play the scale over it on the keyboard above, then open it in the editor and add your melody as its own part.

Hear it as

Questions about D phrygian dominant

What notes are in the D phrygian dominant scale?

D, E♭, F♯, G, A, B♭ and C. Its formula is 1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7, counted from the major scale on D, and its steps from D up to D are: half, step and a half, half, whole, half, whole, whole.

What scale is D phrygian dominant from?

D phrygian dominant uses the notes of G harmonic minor, starting on its fifth note, D. The notes are the same; making D home is what gives it its own sound.

How is D phrygian dominant different from D major?

E♭ instead of E, B♭ instead of B and C instead of C♯: three notes of the D major scale change, and those notes give D phrygian dominant its sound: flamenco and Middle Eastern.

Build a song in D phrygian dominant

Start with the beat, then add chords, a melody and your voice in the editor, part by part.