Colour key
R234p567Each colour is a scale degree, counted from the key. A ♭ or ♯ note keeps its degree's colour: ♭3 is still amber.
F♯ Phrygian dominant
♭2 with a major 3rd. Spanish, flamenco, Middle-Eastern.
Where you hear it: Over V7(♭9) resolving to a minor i.
Step pattern H – W+H – H – W – H – W – W
- Parent scale: B harmonic minor (starts on its 5th degree)
- Compared with F♯ major: ♭2 G♯ → G, ♭6 D♯ → D, ♭7 E♯ → E
- Compared with F♯ natural minor: ♭2 G♯ → G, ♯3 A → A♯
F♯ Phrygian dominant on the guitar
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 F♯ Phrygian dominant
Every chord in F♯ Phrygian dominant
- F♯71/17easyfret 2· shell
- Gmaj71/18easyopen
- A♯dim71/4easyfret 8
- Bm(maj7)1/4mediumfret 2
- C♯m7♭51/14easyfret 4· shell
- Dmaj7♯51/9easyfret 10· shell
- Em71/26easyopen
Each chord stacks every other note of the scale (root, 3rd, 5th, 7th). Tap a row to hear it.
Iconic progressions in F♯ 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 F♯ 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 F♯ Phrygian dominant.
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Closest shape: leaves out a colour note.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.