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Scale · 7 notes

E♭ Phrygian Dominant Scale

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

F♭GC♭D♭E♭A♭B♭

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

On the fretboard

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

EADGBe135791215F♭GA♭B♭C♭D♭E♭F♭GB♭C♭D♭E♭F♭GA♭B♭C♭E♭F♭GA♭B♭C♭D♭E♭F♭GA♭B♭C♭D♭E♭F♭GA♭B♭C♭D♭E♭F♭GA♭B♭C♭D♭F♭GA♭B♭C♭D♭E♭F♭G

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

Notes in the E♭ Phrygian Dominant scale

DegreeNoteName
1E♭Tonic
♭2F♭Supertonic
3GMediant
4A♭Subdominant
5B♭Dominant
♭6C♭Submediant
♭7D♭Subtonic

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

E♭ 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 E♭ Phrygian Dominant scale

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

DegreeTriad7th chord
IE♭E♭7
IIF♭F♭maj7
iii°G°G°7
ivA♭mA♭m(maj7)
v°B♭°B♭ø7
VI+C♭+C♭7♯5
viiD♭mD♭m7

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

How to practise the E♭ 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 E♭ Phrygian Dominant scale?

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

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

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

More E♭ scales

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