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Phrygian dominant scale

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.

Its formula is 1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7: seven notes, flamenco and Middle Eastern.

Make a beat in E major

Opens the free editor with a pop beat in E major to play E phrygian dominant over. No account needed to start.

Hear the phrygian dominant scale

Here on E, E phrygian dominant. From the root up to the root: half, step and a half, half, whole, half, whole, whole. Tap a key to hear it.

E F G♯ A B C D E

EFABCDEG♯
The phrygian dominant scale by scale degree, on E
DegreeOn EFrom the root
1ERoot
♭2FMinor second
3G♯Major third
4APerfect fourth
5BPerfect fifth
♭6CMinor sixth
♭7DMinor seventh

Its chords, one on each note: I ♭II iii° iv v° ♭VI+ ♭vii. On E that is E F G♯dim Am Bdim Caug Dm.

The phrygian dominant scale in every key

The same steps from each of the twelve notes. Open one for its keyboard, its chords and a beat to play it over.

The phrygian dominant scale on all twelve notes
ScaleNotes
C phrygian dominantC D♭ E F G A♭ B♭
C♯ phrygian dominantC♯ D E♯ F♯ G♯ A B
D phrygian dominantD E♭ F♯ G A B♭ C
D♯ phrygian dominantD♯ E F𝄪 G♯ A♯ B C♯
E phrygian dominantE F G♯ A B C D
F phrygian dominantF G♭ A B♭ C D♭ E♭
F♯ phrygian dominantF♯ G A♯ B C♯ D E
G phrygian dominantG A♭ B C D E♭ F
G♯ phrygian dominantG♯ A B♯ C♯ D♯ E F♯
A phrygian dominantA B♭ C♯ D E F G
B♭ phrygian dominantB♭ C♭ D E♭ F G♭ A♭
B phrygian dominantB C D♯ E F♯ G A

Questions about the phrygian dominant scale

What is the phrygian dominant scale?

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.

What is the formula of the phrygian dominant scale?

1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7: 7 notes, counted from the major scale on the same root. Its steps from the root up to the root are: half, step and a half, half, whole, half, whole, whole.

How do I play the phrygian dominant scale in any key?

Start on any note and follow the steps above. A phrygian dominant: A B♭ C♯ D E F G; C phrygian dominant: C D♭ E F G A♭ B♭; E phrygian dominant: E F G♯ A B C D. Every key is on this page, each with its own page and keyboard.

More scales and modes

Scales and modes
Major and minor keysMajor pentatonic scaleMinor pentatonic scaleBlues scaleHarmonic minor scaleMelodic minor scaleDorian modePhrygian modeLydian modeMixolydian modeLocrian modePhrygian dominant scaleWhole tone scale

Build a song on the phrygian dominant scale

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

Make a beat in E majorAll music scales

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