F Phrygian dominant scale on guitar
The F Phrygian dominant scale has seven notes: F, G♭, A, B♭, C, D♭ and E♭ (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 | F | G♭ | A | B♭ | C | D♭ | E♭ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | 1 (root) | ♭2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ♭6 | ♭7 |
| Step to the next | half | 1½ | half | whole | half | whole | whole |
5 positions to learn it in
On guitar a seven-note scale is learnt in five shapes, each built round one of the open chord shapes C, A, G, E and D. Together they cover the neck. Press Play to hear each one, up and back down.
Chords that go with the F 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; F (F) is where it sounds at home.
| On the | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| root (F) | Fhome | F7home |
| ♭2 (G♭) | G♭colour | G♭maj7colour |
| 3 (A) | Adimthe edge | – |
| 4 (B♭) | B♭mthe ache | – |
| 5 (C) | Cdimthe edge | Cm7♭5the edge |
| ♭6 (D♭) | D♭augcinematic | – |
| ♭7 (E♭) | E♭msoft fall | E♭m7soft fall |
Scales with the same notes
It has the same notes as the B♭ harmonic minor scale, started from its fifth note, F.
Questions
What notes are in the F Phrygian dominant scale?
F, G♭, A, B♭, C, D♭ and E♭. 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 F Phrygian dominant scale?
The chords made only of its notes: F, G♭, Adim, B♭m, Cdim, D♭aug and E♭m, and as seventh chords F7, G♭maj7, Cm7♭5 and E♭m7. F is home: F is the chord it sounds most settled over.
The Phrygian dominant scale in every key
Other scales in F
F majorF minorF minor pentatonicF major pentatonicF bluesF DorianF MixolydianF LydianF PhrygianF harmonic minorF melodic minor
Practise it on a sheet of your own in the practice sheet maker, with a metronome and a drone. Every scale: guitar scales. This scale on bass, ukulele, mandolin and banjo.