D sharp Phrygian scale on cavaquinho
The D sharp Phrygian scale has 7 notes: D♯ E F♯ G♯ A♯ B C♯ (D sharp, E, F sharp, G sharp, A sharp, B, and C sharp).
- D♯ D sharp 1
- E ♭2
- F♯ F sharp ♭3
- G♯ G sharp 4
- A♯ A sharp 5
- B ♭6
- C♯ C sharp ♭7
Whole neck: every note of the scale up to fret 17. The root (D♯) is highlighted.
Positions as text
Position 1 (frets 1 to 5), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 1 (D♯), 2 (E), 4 (F♯)
- string 3: 1 (G♯), 3 (A♯), 4 (B)
- string 2: 2 (C♯), 4 (D♯), 5 (E)
- string 1: 4 (F♯)
Position 2 (frets 2 to 6), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 2 (E), 4 (F♯), 6 (G♯)
- string 3: 3 (A♯), 4 (B), 6 (C♯)
- string 2: 4 (D♯), 5 (E)
- string 1: 4 (F♯), 6 (G♯)
Position 3 (frets 4 to 8), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 4 (F♯), 6 (G♯), 8 (A♯)
- string 3: 4 (B), 6 (C♯), 8 (D♯)
- string 2: 5 (E), 7 (F♯)
- string 1: 6 (G♯), 8 (A♯)
Position 4 (frets 6 to 9), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 6 (G♯), 8 (A♯), 9 (B)
- string 3: 6 (C♯), 8 (D♯), 9 (E)
- string 2: 7 (F♯), 9 (G♯)
- string 1: 8 (A♯), 9 (B)
Position 5 (frets 8 to 12), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 8 (A♯), 9 (B), 11 (C♯)
- string 3: 8 (D♯), 9 (E), 11 (F♯)
- string 2: 9 (G♯), 11 (A♯), 12 (B)
- string 1: 11 (C♯)
Position 6 (frets 9 to 13), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 9 (B), 11 (C♯), 13 (D♯)
- string 3: 9 (E), 11 (F♯), 13 (G♯)
- string 2: 11 (A♯), 12 (B)
- string 1: 11 (C♯), 13 (D♯)
Position 7 (frets 11 to 15), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 11 (C♯), 13 (D♯), 14 (E)
- string 3: 11 (F♯), 13 (G♯), 15 (A♯)
- string 2: 12 (B), 14 (C♯)
- string 1: 13 (D♯), 14 (E)
Fretboard positions
Each position fits within 5 frets, with 2 to 3 notes per string, and starts on a scale note on the lowest string. Position 1 starts on the root (D sharp).
On the cavaquinho the strings sit close together in pitch, and the 3-notes-per-string shape from the guitar would turn into a 7-fret stretch. That is why each position here fits within 5 frets.
Use Degrees to see the role of each note (1 is the root) and Listen to hear the selected position going up and down.
Formula
- D♯
- H
- E
- W
- F♯
- W
- G♯
- W
- A♯
- H
- B
- W
- C♯
- W
- D♯
Degrees: 1 · ♭2 · ♭3 · 4 · 5 · ♭6 · ♭7. Steps: H – W – W – W – H – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step).
About the Phrygian scale
A minor mode with a minor 2nd. Dark and Spanish-sounding, common in metal and flamenco.
Harmonized scale (chords in the key)
The chords that come from the scale, stacking thirds from each note.
Scales with the same notes
More D sharp scales
- Major (E♭)
- Natural minor
- Harmonic minor (E♭)
- Melodic minor (E♭)
- Major pentatonic (E♭)
- Minor pentatonic
- Blues
- Major blues (E♭)
- Dorian (E♭)
- Phrygian
- Lydian (E♭)
- Mixolydian (E♭)
- Locrian
- Nordestina (Brazilian baião) (E♭)
- Phrygian dominant (E♭)
- Whole-tone (E♭)
- Diminished (whole-half) (E♭)
- Dominant diminished (half-whole) (E♭)
Phrygian in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the D sharp Phrygian scale?
The notes of the D sharp Phrygian scale are D sharp, E, F sharp, G sharp, A sharp, B, and C sharp. The root, degree 1, is D sharp.
What is the formula of the D sharp Phrygian scale?
In degrees: 1 · ♭2 · ♭3 · 4 · 5 · ♭6 · ♭7. In steps between the notes: H – W – W – W – H – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step).
How do you play the D sharp Phrygian scale on cavaquinho?
Each position fits within 5 frets, with 2 to 3 notes per string, and starts on a scale note on the lowest string. Position 1 starts on the root (D sharp). There are 7 positions on cavaquinho, each with the full fingering.
Which chords belong to the D sharp Phrygian scale?
The chords of the harmonized scale are: D♯m, E, F♯, G♯m, A♯°, B, C♯m.