B Phrygian dominant scale: notes, chords and guitar positions

Scale

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Click

bpm

DroneE2

Drums

Bass

Colour key

R234p567

Each colour is a scale degree, counted from the key. A ♭ or ♯ note keeps its degree's colour: ♭3 is still amber.

B Phrygian dominant

♭2 with a major 3rd. Spanish, flamenco, Middle-Eastern.

Where you hear it: Over V7(♭9) resolving to a minor i.

Key signature 1♯ (F♯)as G major / E minor, plus D♯ written in

Step pattern H – W+H – H – W – H – W – W

Parent scale: E harmonic minor (starts on its 5th degree)
Compared with B major: ♭2 C♯ → C, ♭6 G♯ → G, ♭7 A♯ → A
Compared with B natural minor: ♭2 C♯ → C, ♯3 D → D♯

Hover to compare

B Phrygian dominant on the guitar

R234p567

Shapes

Extra notes

Pick a position below to outline it on the neck.

in the pentatonic r ♭2 3 5 ♭6: playedother notes of Phrygian dominant: not playedPlay runs up the position from its lowest note and back down; Sample melody plays a short tune using only its notes. Tap a position's name to see it on the neck.

Modes with the same notes as B Phrygian dominant

E Harmonic minor1st degree F♯ Locrian ♮62nd degree G Ionian ♯53rd degree A Dorian ♯44th degree B Phrygian dominant5th degree C Lydian ♯26th degree E♭ Ultralocrian7th degree

Every chord in B Phrygian dominant

B71/18
easyopen
Cmaj71/18
easyopen
D♯dim71/4
easyfret 1
Em(maj7)1/6
mediumfret 7
F♯m7♭51/14
easyfret 2· shell
Gmaj7♯51/9
easyfret 3· shell
Am71/25
easyopen

Each chord stacks every other note of the scale (root, 3rd, 5th, 7th). Tap a row to hear it.

Iconic progressions in B Phrygian dominant

A few well-known chord loops that bring out this scale’s sound. Play one through, or tap a chord to hear it.

I – ♭II – I
A major tonic and the chord a half step above. This is the Spanish and Middle-Eastern sound.
I – ♭vii – ♭II – I
Home, the minor ♭vii, then the half-step ♭II, back to I. The ♭II falls back onto the major tonic.

Sus and extension chords from each chord

From B you can go through the 2nd of the scale to sus2 and 9 chords, through the 4th to sus4 and 11, and so on. All seven chords of B Phrygian dominant.

Hover or focus a small bubble for what it is, click to keep the note open.

I B7

Notes: B D♯ F♯ A

open · 1/12

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭II Cmaj7

Notes: C E G B

open · 1/14

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iii° D♯dim7

Notes: D♯ F♯ A C

fret 1 · 1/4

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

iv Em(maj7)

Notes: E G B D♯

fret 7 · 1/5

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v° F♯m7♭5

Notes: F♯ A C E

fret 2 · 1/9

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭VI+ Gmaj7♯5

Notes: G B D♯ F♯

fret 3 · 1/6

Closest shape: leaves out a colour note.

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭vii Am7

Notes: A C E G

open · 1/12

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

Scale

Labels

Click

bpm

DroneE2

Drums

Bass

Colour key

R234p567

Each colour is a scale degree, counted from the key. A ♭ or ♯ note keeps its degree's colour: ♭3 is still amber.

B Phrygian dominant

♭2 with a major 3rd. Spanish, flamenco, Middle-Eastern.

Where you hear it: Over V7(♭9) resolving to a minor i.

Key signature 1♯ (F♯)as G major / E minor, plus D♯ written in

Step pattern H – W+H – H – W – H – W – W

Parent scale: E harmonic minor (starts on its 5th degree)
Compared with B major: ♭2 C♯ → C, ♭6 G♯ → G, ♭7 A♯ → A
Compared with B natural minor: ♭2 C♯ → C, ♯3 D → D♯

Hover to compare

B Phrygian dominant on the guitar

R234p567

Shapes

Extra notes

Pick a position below to outline it on the neck.

Modes with the same notes as B Phrygian dominant

E Harmonic minor1st degree F♯ Locrian ♮62nd degree G Ionian ♯53rd degree A Dorian ♯44th degree B Phrygian dominant5th degree C Lydian ♯26th degree E♭ Ultralocrian7th degree

Every chord in B Phrygian dominant

B71/18
easyopen
Cmaj71/18
easyopen
D♯dim71/4
easyfret 1
Em(maj7)1/6
mediumfret 7
F♯m7♭51/14
easyfret 2· shell
Gmaj7♯51/9
easyfret 3· shell
Am71/25
easyopen

Each chord stacks every other note of the scale (root, 3rd, 5th, 7th). Tap a row to hear it.

Iconic progressions in B Phrygian dominant

A few well-known chord loops that bring out this scale’s sound. Play one through, or tap a chord to hear it.

I – ♭II – I
A major tonic and the chord a half step above. This is the Spanish and Middle-Eastern sound.
I – ♭vii – ♭II – I
Home, the minor ♭vii, then the half-step ♭II, back to I. The ♭II falls back onto the major tonic.

Sus and extension chords from each chord

From B you can go through the 2nd of the scale to sus2 and 9 chords, through the 4th to sus4 and 11, and so on. All seven chords of B Phrygian dominant.

Hover or focus a small bubble for what it is, click to keep the note open.

I B7

Notes: B D♯ F♯ A

open · 1/12

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭II Cmaj7

Notes: C E G B

open · 1/14

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

iii° D♯dim7

Notes: D♯ F♯ A C

fret 1 · 1/4

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

iv Em(maj7)

Notes: E G B D♯

fret 7 · 1/5

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

v° F♯m7♭5

Notes: F♯ A C E

fret 2 · 1/9

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭VI+ Gmaj7♯5

Notes: G B D♯ F♯

fret 3 · 1/6

Closest shape: leaves out a colour note.

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭vii Am7

Notes: A C E G

open · 1/12

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

Scales and modes

Colour key

B Phrygian dominant

B Phrygian dominant on the guitar

Modes with the same notes as B Phrygian dominant

Every chord in B Phrygian dominant

Iconic progressions in B Phrygian dominant

I – ♭II – I

I – ♭vii – ♭II – I

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Scales and modes

Colour key

B Phrygian dominant

B Phrygian dominant on the guitar

Modes with the same notes as B Phrygian dominant

Every chord in B Phrygian dominant

Iconic progressions in B Phrygian dominant

I – ♭II – I

I – ♭vii – ♭II – I

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour keyi

B Phrygian dominant

B Phrygian dominant on the guitari

Modes with the same notes as B Phrygian dominant

Every chord in B Phrygian dominant

Iconic progressions in B Phrygian dominant

I – ♭II – I

I – ♭vii – ♭II – I

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour keyi

B Phrygian dominant

B Phrygian dominant on the guitari

Modes with the same notes as B Phrygian dominant

Every chord in B Phrygian dominant

Iconic progressions in B Phrygian dominant

I – ♭II – I

I – ♭vii – ♭II – I

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour key

B Phrygian dominant on the guitar

Colour key

B Phrygian dominant on the guitar