D♭ Phrygian dominant scale: notes, chords and guitar positions

Scale

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R234p567

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

D♭ 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 6♭ (B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ C♭)as G♭ major / E♭ minor, plus E♭♭ B♭♭ written in

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

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

Hover to compare

D♭ 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 D♭ Phrygian dominant

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

Every chord in D♭ Phrygian dominant

D♭71/17
easyfret 6· shell
E♭♭maj71/18
easyopen
Fdim71/4
easyfret 3
G♭m(maj7)1/4
mediumfret 9
A♭m7♭51/14
easyfret 4· shell
B♭♭maj7♯51/9
easyfret 5· shell
C♭m71/24
easyopen

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

Iconic progressions in D♭ 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 D♭ 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 D♭ Phrygian dominant.

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

I D♭7

Notes: D♭ F A♭ C♭

fret 4 · 1/11

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♭II E♭♭maj7

Notes: E♭♭ G♭ B♭♭ D♭

open · 1/14

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iii° Fdim7

Notes: F A♭ C♭ E♭♭

fret 3 · 1/4

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iv G♭m(maj7)

Notes: G♭ B♭♭ D♭ F

fret 9 · 1/4

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

v° A♭m7♭5

Notes: A♭ C♭ E♭♭ G♭

fret 4 · 1/9

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

♭VI+ B♭♭maj7♯5

Notes: B♭♭ D♭ F A♭

fret 2 · 1/6

Closest shape: leaves out a colour note.

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

♭vii C♭m7

Notes: C♭ E♭♭ G♭ B♭♭

open · 1/11

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.

D♭ 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 6♭ (B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ C♭)as G♭ major / E♭ minor, plus E♭♭ B♭♭ written in

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

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

Hover to compare

D♭ 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 D♭ Phrygian dominant

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

Every chord in D♭ Phrygian dominant

D♭71/17
easyfret 6· shell
E♭♭maj71/18
easyopen
Fdim71/4
easyfret 3
G♭m(maj7)1/4
mediumfret 9
A♭m7♭51/14
easyfret 4· shell
B♭♭maj7♯51/9
easyfret 5· shell
C♭m71/24
easyopen

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

Iconic progressions in D♭ 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 D♭ 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 D♭ Phrygian dominant.

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

I D♭7

Notes: D♭ F A♭ C♭

fret 4 · 1/11

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

♭II E♭♭maj7

Notes: E♭♭ G♭ B♭♭ D♭

open · 1/14

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

iii° Fdim7

Notes: F A♭ C♭ E♭♭

fret 3 · 1/4

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

iv G♭m(maj7)

Notes: G♭ B♭♭ D♭ F

fret 9 · 1/4

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

v° A♭m7♭5

Notes: A♭ C♭ E♭♭ G♭

fret 4 · 1/9

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

♭VI+ B♭♭maj7♯5

Notes: B♭♭ D♭ F A♭

fret 2 · 1/6

Closest shape: leaves out a colour note.

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

♭vii C♭m7

Notes: C♭ E♭♭ G♭ B♭♭

open · 1/11

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

Scales and modes

Colour key

D♭ Phrygian dominant

D♭ Phrygian dominant on the guitar

Modes with the same notes as D♭ Phrygian dominant

Every chord in D♭ Phrygian dominant

Iconic progressions in D♭ Phrygian dominant

I – ♭II – I

I – ♭vii – ♭II – I

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Scales and modes

Colour key

D♭ Phrygian dominant

D♭ Phrygian dominant on the guitar

Modes with the same notes as D♭ Phrygian dominant

Every chord in D♭ Phrygian dominant

Iconic progressions in D♭ Phrygian dominant

I – ♭II – I

I – ♭vii – ♭II – I

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour keyi

D♭ Phrygian dominant

D♭ Phrygian dominant on the guitari

Modes with the same notes as D♭ Phrygian dominant

Every chord in D♭ Phrygian dominant

Iconic progressions in D♭ Phrygian dominant

I – ♭II – I

I – ♭vii – ♭II – I

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour keyi

D♭ Phrygian dominant

D♭ Phrygian dominant on the guitari

Modes with the same notes as D♭ Phrygian dominant

Every chord in D♭ Phrygian dominant

Iconic progressions in D♭ Phrygian dominant

I – ♭II – I

I – ♭vii – ♭II – I

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour key

D♭ Phrygian dominant on the guitar

Colour key

D♭ Phrygian dominant on the guitar