A Phrygian dominant scale on guitar

The A Phrygian dominant scale has 7 notes: A B♭ C♯ D E F G (A, B flat, C sharp, D, E, F, and G). The diagrams work the same for acoustic and electric guitar.

A 1
B♭ B flat ♭2
C♯ C sharp 3
D 4
E 5
F ♭6
G ♭7

BPM

Rhythm Metronome

A Phrygian dominant scale on guitar: the whole fretboard with the notes A, Bb, C#, D, E, F, G, from fret 0 to 15

Whole neck: every note of the scale up to fret 15. The root (A) is highlighted.

Positions as text

Position 5 (frets 0 to 5), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: open (E), 1 (F), 3 (G)
string 5: open (A), 1 (B♭), 4 (C♯)
string 4: open (D), 2 (E), 3 (F)
string 3: open (G), 2 (A), 3 (B♭)
string 2: 2 (C♯), 3 (D), 5 (E)
string 1: 1 (F), 3 (G), 5 (A)

Position 6 (frets 1 to 6), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: 1 (F), 3 (G), 5 (A)
string 5: 1 (B♭), 4 (C♯), 5 (D)
string 4: 2 (E), 3 (F), 5 (G)
string 3: 2 (A), 3 (B♭), 6 (C♯)
string 2: 3 (D), 5 (E), 6 (F)
string 1: 3 (G), 5 (A), 6 (B♭)

Position 7 (frets 3 to 9), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: 3 (G), 5 (A), 6 (B♭)
string 5: 4 (C♯), 5 (D), 7 (E)
string 4: 3 (F), 5 (G), 7 (A)
string 3: 3 (B♭), 6 (C♯), 7 (D)
string 2: 5 (E), 6 (F), 8 (G)
string 1: 5 (A), 6 (B♭), 9 (C♯)

Position 1 (frets 5 to 10), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: 5 (A), 6 (B♭), 9 (C♯)
string 5: 5 (D), 7 (E), 8 (F)
string 4: 5 (G), 7 (A), 8 (B♭)
string 3: 6 (C♯), 7 (D), 9 (E)
string 2: 6 (F), 8 (G), 10 (A)
string 1: 6 (B♭), 9 (C♯), 10 (D)

Position 2 (frets 6 to 12), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: 6 (B♭), 9 (C♯), 10 (D)
string 5: 7 (E), 8 (F), 10 (G)
string 4: 7 (A), 8 (B♭), 11 (C♯)
string 3: 7 (D), 9 (E), 10 (F)
string 2: 8 (G), 10 (A), 11 (B♭)
string 1: 9 (C♯), 10 (D), 12 (E)

Position 3 (frets 8 to 14), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: 9 (C♯), 10 (D), 12 (E)
string 5: 8 (F), 10 (G), 12 (A)
string 4: 8 (B♭), 11 (C♯), 12 (D)
string 3: 9 (E), 10 (F), 12 (G)
string 2: 10 (A), 11 (B♭), 14 (C♯)
string 1: 10 (D), 12 (E), 13 (F)

Position 4 (frets 10 to 15), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 6: 10 (D), 12 (E), 13 (F)
string 5: 10 (G), 12 (A), 13 (B♭)
string 4: 11 (C♯), 12 (D), 14 (E)
string 3: 10 (F), 12 (G), 14 (A)
string 2: 11 (B♭), 14 (C♯), 15 (D)
string 1: 12 (E), 13 (F), 15 (G)

Fretboard positions

On the neck, the scale splits into positions of 3 notes per string. Position 1 starts on the root (A) on the lowest string; the others start on the following notes.

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

A
H
B♭
1½W
C♯
H
D
W
E
H
F
W
G
W
A

Degrees: 1 · ♭2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · ♭6 · ♭7. Steps: H – 1½W – H – W – H – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step).

About the Phrygian dominant scale

Fifth mode of the harmonic minor. A flamenco and Arabic sound, widely used in metal.

Harmonized scale (chords in the key)

The chords that come from the scale, stacking thirds from each note.

Degree	Triad	Seventh chord
I	A	A7
II	B♭	B♭7M
III°	C♯°	C♯°7
IVm	Dm	Dm(7M)
V°	E°	Em7(b5)
VI+	F+	F7M(#5)
VIIm	Gm	Gm7

Arpeggios of these chords on guitar

Scales with the same notes

D harmonic minor

More A scales

Phrygian dominant in other keys

Frequently asked questions

What are the notes of the A Phrygian dominant scale?

The notes of the A Phrygian dominant scale are A, B flat, C sharp, D, E, F, and G. The root, degree 1, is A.

What is the formula of the A Phrygian dominant scale?

In degrees: 1 · ♭2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · ♭6 · ♭7. In steps between the notes: H – 1½W – H – W – H – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step).

How do you play the A Phrygian dominant scale on guitar?

On the neck, the scale splits into positions of 3 notes per string. Position 1 starts on the root (A) on the lowest string; the others start on the following notes. There are 7 positions on guitar, each with the full fingering.

Which chords belong to the A Phrygian dominant scale?

The chords of the harmonized scale are: A, B♭, C♯°, Dm, E°, F+, Gm.

On other instruments

All scales on guitar