A Phrygian dominant scale on bass
The A Phrygian dominant scale has seven notes: A, B♭, C♯, D, E, F and G (1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7). The fifth mode of harmonic minor: a flat 2nd with a major 3rd. The flamenco, Middle Eastern and metal sound; play it over the V7 chord of a minor key, such as E7 in A minor.
| Note | A | B♭ | C♯ | D | E | F | G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | 1 (root) | ♭2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ♭6 | ♭7 |
| Step to the next | half | 1½ | half | whole | half | whole | whole |
7 positions to learn it in
Played three notes on every string, the A Phrygian dominant scale has a position starting on each of its notes. They are good for speed, with the same picking pattern on every string. Press Play to hear each one, up and back down.
Chords that go with the A Phrygian dominant scale
The chords on each note of the scale that use only its notes. Play over any of them and every note fits; A (A) is where it sounds at home.
| On the | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| root (A) | Ahome | A7home |
| ♭2 (B♭) | B♭colour | B♭maj7colour |
| 3 (C♯) | C♯dimthe edge | – |
| 4 (D) | Dmthe ache | – |
| 5 (E) | Edimthe edge | Em7♭5the edge |
| ♭6 (F) | Faugcinematic | – |
| ♭7 (G) | Gmsoft fall | Gm7soft fall |
Scales with the same notes
It has the same notes as the D harmonic minor scale, started from its fifth note, A.
Questions
What notes are in the A Phrygian dominant scale?
A, B♭, C♯, D, E, F and G. Its intervals from the root are 1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7, and the steps between its notes are H W+H H W H W W (W a whole step, H a half step).
What chords go with the A Phrygian dominant scale?
The chords made only of its notes: A, B♭, C♯dim, Dm, Edim, Faug and Gm, and as seventh chords A7, B♭maj7, Em7♭5 and Gm7. A is home: A is the chord it sounds most settled over.
The Phrygian dominant scale in every key
Other scales in A
A majorA minorA minor pentatonicA major pentatonicA bluesA DorianA MixolydianA LydianA PhrygianA harmonic minorA melodic minor
Practise it on a sheet of your own in the practice sheet maker, with a metronome and a drone. Every scale: bass scales. This scale on guitar, ukulele, mandolin and banjo.