About the D sharp Phrygian b4 scale
D sharp Phrygian b4 is used for metal, film scoring and tense modal writing. Think of it as a phrygian scale with its fourth lowered, extra dark.
Its notes are D♯, E, F♯, G, A♯, B, and C♯. The formula is H W H 1½ H W W. It is the third mode of B Harmonic Major.
E, G, and B are open guitar strings that sit inside the mode, ready to drone under a riff. A guitarist finds the lowest D♯ at the 6th fret of the A string. A capo at the first fret lets a guitarist play D♯ Phrygian ♭4 with D-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.
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 D sharp Phrygian b4
Expand a chord to see how to play it.
i D sharp minor
ii E minor
III F sharp
IV+ G augmented
v° A sharp diminished
VI B
vii° C sharp diminished
Seventh chords in D sharp Phrygian b4
The four-note version of each chord, richer and jazzier.
i D sharp minor seven
ii E minor major seven
III F sharp seven
IV+ G major seven sharp five
v° A sharp diminished seven
VI B major seven
vii° C sharp minor seven flat five
Progressions in D sharp Phrygian b4
Tap any chord to hear it, or play the whole progression.
Notes and intervals
| 1 | D#D♯ | Root |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | EE | Minor 2nd |
| 3 | F#F♯ | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | GG | Diminished 4th |
| 5 | A#A♯ | Perfect 5th |
| 6 | BB | Minor 6th |
| 7 | C#C♯ | Minor 7th |
| Steps | H W H 1½ H W W |
|---|---|
| Semitones | 1-2-1-3-1-2-2 |
| Degrees | 1 ♭2 ♭3 ♭4 5 ♭6 ♭7 |
Shapes
Chromatic
Circle of Fifths
Related scales
Phrygian b4 in other keys
Modes
The same notes, starting on a different note.