Chord Colors

A♯ Phrygian Dominant scale

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About the A sharp Phrygian Dominant scale

A sharp Phrygian Dominant is used for flamenco, metal and Middle Eastern and Jewish melodies. Think of it as a major-third scale with a flat second, the sound of flamenco and the Middle East. It is A Phrygian with the third raised.

Its notes are A, B, C♯♯, D, E, F, and G. The formula is H 1½ H W H W W. It is the fifth mode of D Harmonic Minor.

Also called Freygish and Spanish Phrygian.

Learn more about the A♯ Phrygian Dominant scale

D and B are open guitar strings that sit inside the mode, ready to drone under a riff. A guitarist finds the lowest A at the 1st fret of the A string. Capo the first fret to play A Phrygian Dominant with A-shape fingerings.

Positions

Playable shapes for this scale up the neck. Tap any note to hear it.

CAGED

Five shapes, each anchored to a chord form you already know, the pop and rock default that ties your scales to your chords. The outlined notes are that chord, so you can see the C, A, G, E, and D shapes inside the scale.

A shapeopen
G shapefr 3
E shapefr 5
D shapefr 7
C shapefr 10
3NPS

3NPS stands for 3 notes per string. It lays the scale out in seven even shapes for rock and metal lead, and favors speed because the picking pattern stays consistent across every string.

Shape 1fr 1
Shape 2fr 2
Shape 3fr 4
Shape 4fr 6
Shape 5fr 7
Shape 6fr 9
Shape 7fr 11
7-position system

7 four-fret boxes, one per scale degree, each a single hand position with almost no shifting. The jazz and classical way, from William Leavitt's Berklee method.

Position 1fr 1
Position 2fr 2
Position 3fr 4
Position 4fr 6
Position 5fr 7
Position 6fr 10
Position 7fr 11

Chords in the key of A sharp Phrygian Dominant

Expand a chord to see how to play it.

I A sharp
Position 1 of 4
II B
Position 1 of 4
iii° C double sharp diminished
Position 1 of 4
iv D sharp minor
Position 1 of 4
E sharp diminished
Position 1 of 4
VI+ F sharp augmented
Position 1 of 4
vii G sharp minor
Position 1 of 4
4fr

Seventh chords in A sharp Phrygian Dominant

The four-note version of each chord, richer and jazzier.

I A sharp seven
Position 1 of 4
II B major seven
Position 1 of 4
iii° C double sharp diminished seven
Position 1 of 4
iv D sharp minor major seven
Position 1 of 4
E sharp minor seven flat five
Position 1 of 4
VI+ F sharp major seven sharp five
Position 1 of 4
vii G sharp minor seven
Position 1 of 4
4fr

Progressions in A sharp Phrygian Dominant

Tap any chord to hear it, or play the whole progression.

Notes and intervals

1A#A♯Root
2BBMinor 2nd
3C##C♯♯Major 3rd
4D#D♯Perfect 4th
5E#E♯Perfect 5th
6F#F♯Minor 6th
7G#G♯Minor 7th
StepsH 1½ H W H W W
Semitones1-3-1-2-1-2-2
Degrees1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Shapes

Chromatic

CC♯D♭DD♯E♭EFF♯G♭GG♯A♭AA♯B♭B

Circle of Fifths

CGDAEBF♯G♭C♯D♭G♯A♭D♯E♭A♯B♭F

Related scales

Phrygian Dominant in other keys

Modes

The same notes, starting on a different note.

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Bb Phrygian Dominant scale on guitar shown as colored note dots
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