Ab Phrygian Dominant for Guitar

The Ab Phrygian dominant scale consists of Ab, Bbb, C, Db, Eb, Fb and Gb. Bbb is the same pitch as A and Fb the same as E, so the page uses theoretical spelling; the sharp alternative, G# Phrygian dominant, is easier to read.

The root lies on the 4th fret of the low E string and on the 11th fret of the A string. The notes come from Db harmonic minor. When you are ready, a scale exercise will help turn the shape into melody.

Play the Ab phrygian dominant scale

Use the step menu in the player to switch between the single-string run and the box shapes.

Notes of the Ab phrygian dominant scale

NoteDegreeIntervalSemitones from root
Ab1Root0
Bbbb2Minor 2nd1
C3Major 3rd4
Db4Perfect 4th5
Eb5Perfect 5th7
Fbb6Minor 6th8
Gbb7Minor 7th10

Structure

Ab phrygian dominant scale notes:

Ab Bbb C Db Eb Fb Gb

How the phrygian dominant scale is built:

The phrygian dominant scale is built from the degrees 1 b2 3 4 5 b6 b7, which gives the step pattern H-W+H-H-W-H-W-W (W = whole step, H = half step).

Counting in semitones from the root: 0, 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10. That makes it a 7-note scale.

It is mode 5 of the Harmonic Minor Scale, so both scales share the same notes from a different starting point.

It is also known as Jewish Scale, Ahava Raba, Freygish and Spanish Phrygian.

Ab Phrygian Dominant Scale Guitar Patterns

Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.

Ab Phrygian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - On one string (G)

On one string (G)

Ab Phrygian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 1

Box pattern — position 1

Ab Phrygian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 2

Box pattern — position 2

Ab Phrygian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 3

Box pattern — position 3

Ab Phrygian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 4

Box pattern — position 4

Ab Phrygian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 5

Box pattern — position 5

Ab Phrygian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - 3 notes per string — position 1

3 notes per string — position 1

Ab Phrygian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - 3 notes per string — position 2

3 notes per string — position 2

Ab Phrygian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - 3 notes per string — position 3

3 notes per string — position 3

Ab Phrygian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - 3 notes per string — position 4

3 notes per string — position 4

Ab Phrygian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - 3 notes per string — position 5

3 notes per string — position 5

Chords in the Ab phrygian dominant scale

Stacking thirds on each degree of the scale gives these chords.

DegreeTriadSeventh chord
1 Ab Ab7
b2 Bbb Bbbmaj7
3 Cdim Cdim7
4 Dbm Dbm(maj7)
5 Ebdim Ebm7(b5)
b6 Fbaug Fbmaj7(b13)
b7 Gbm Gbm7

Related modes

These scales share the same notes as the phrygian dominant scale, starting from a different degree.

Harmonic Minor Scale Locrian #6 Scale Ionian #5 Scale Dorian #4 Scale Lydian #2 Scale Super Locrian bb7 Scale

The phrygian dominant scale in other keys

C C# Db D D# Eb E F F# Gb G G# Ab A A# Bb B

All about the phrygian dominant scale →

Giancarlo Facoetti, founder of FaChords Guitar

Created by

Giancarlo Facoetti

Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher