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Scale · 7 notes

B♭ Phrygian Dominant Scale

B♭ Phrygian Dominant is a 7-note scale with the notes B♭ C♭ D E♭ F G♭ A♭. It sounds the fifth mode of harmonic minor: a major 3rd with a flat 2nd, the sound of flamenco, klezmer and Middle Eastern music.

DFC♭E♭G♭A♭B♭

Purple = B♭ (the tonic) · green = other scale notes

On the fretboard

Every B♭ phrygian dominant note on the neck. Pick a pattern to see the compact fingering shape that fits under one hand.

EADGBe135791215FG♭A♭B♭C♭DE♭FG♭B♭C♭DE♭FG♭A♭B♭C♭DE♭FG♭A♭B♭C♭DE♭FA♭B♭C♭DE♭FG♭A♭B♭C♭DE♭FG♭A♭B♭C♭DFG♭A♭B♭C♭DE♭FG♭

Blue = B♭ (the root) · green = other scale notes

Notes in the B♭ Phrygian Dominant scale

DegreeNoteName
1B♭Tonic
♭2C♭Supertonic
3DMediant
4E♭Subdominant
5FDominant
♭6G♭Submediant
♭7A♭Subtonic

Each note uses a different letter name, so the spelling follows the scale rather than the keyboard: B♭ C♭ D E♭ F G♭ A♭.

B♭ Phrygian Dominant scale formula

The pattern of steps from one note to the next is H – W+H – H – W – H – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step). Compared with the major scale the degrees are 1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7.

Chords in the B♭ Phrygian Dominant scale

Stacking thirds on each note of the scale gives these chords:

DegreeTriad7th chord
IB♭B♭7
IIC♭C♭maj7
iii°D°D°7
ivE♭mE♭m(maj7)
v°F°Fø7
VI+G♭+G♭7♯5
viiA♭mA♭m7

Chord names link to guitar chord shapes where we have them.

How to practise the B♭ Phrygian Dominant scale

Learn it as a variation of a scale you know and listen for the augmented second, the big step that gives it the sound. Play it over a drone on the root to hear the colour before you write with it.

Frequently asked questions

What are the notes in the B♭ Phrygian Dominant scale?

The notes of the B♭ Phrygian Dominant scale are B♭ C♭ D E♭ F G♭ A♭.

What is the formula for the B♭ Phrygian Dominant scale?

The pattern of whole and half steps is H – W+H – H – W – H – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step). In scale degrees: 1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7.

What chords are in the B♭ Phrygian Dominant scale?

Built from the scale in triads: B♭, C♭, D°, E♭m, F°, G♭+, A♭m.

More B♭ scales

B♭ Major, B♭ Natural Minor, B♭ Harmonic Minor, B♭ Melodic Minor, B♭ Dorian, B♭ Phrygian, B♭ Lydian, B♭ Mixolydian, B♭ Locrian, B♭ Major Pentatonic, B♭ Minor Pentatonic, B♭ Blues, B♭ Lydian Dominant, B♭ Whole Tone, B♭ Dorian ♭2, B♭ Lydian Augmented, B♭ Mixolydian ♭6, B♭ Locrian ♯2, B♭ Hungarian Minor, B♭ Double Harmonic, B♭ Diminished (W–H), B♭ Diminished (H–W), B♭ Bebop Dominant, B♭ Bebop Major

Explore the full scales library, find a scale from notes with the scale finder, or see every chord in every key in the chord chart.