About the C Phrygian Dominant scale
C 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 C Phrygian with the third raised.
Its notes are C, D♭, E, F, G, A♭, and B♭. The formula is H 1½ H W H W W. It is the fifth mode of F Harmonic Minor.
Also called Freygish and Spanish Phrygian.
C Phrygian Dominant shares E and G with the guitar's open strings. The lowest C on a standard-tuned guitar sits at the 3rd fret of the A string.
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.
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.
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.
Chords in the key of C Phrygian Dominant
Expand a chord to see how to play it.
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Seventh chords in C Phrygian Dominant
The four-note version of each chord, richer and jazzier.
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Progressions in C Phrygian Dominant
Tap any chord to hear it, or play the whole progression.
Notes and intervals
| 1 | CC | Root |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | DbD♭ | Minor 2nd |
| 3 | EE | Major 3rd |
| 4 | FF | Perfect 4th |
| 5 | GG | Perfect 5th |
| 6 | AbA♭ | Minor 6th |
| 7 | BbB♭ | Minor 7th |
| Steps | H 1½ H W H W W |
|---|---|
| Semitones | 1-3-1-2-1-2-2 |
| Degrees | 1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7 |
Shapes
Chromatic
Circle of Fifths
Related scales
Phrygian Dominant in other keys
D flat Phrygian Dominant scaleD Phrygian Dominant scaleE flat Phrygian Dominant scaleE Phrygian Dominant scaleF Phrygian Dominant scaleG flat Phrygian Dominant scaleG Phrygian Dominant scaleA flat Phrygian Dominant scaleA Phrygian Dominant scaleB flat Phrygian Dominant scaleB Phrygian Dominant scale
Modes
The same notes, starting on a different note.
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