Eb Phrygian Dominant, Shape by Shape

The Eb Phrygian dominant scale reads Eb, Fb, G, Ab, Bb, Cb and Db. Fb is the same pitch as E and Cb the same as B, so this is a theoretical spelling; the alternative D# Phrygian dominant is even harder to read, so Eb is the one to learn.

Place the root on the 11th fret of the low E string, or the 6th fret of the A string. The notes belong to Ab harmonic minor. A relaxed way to absorb them is practising scales in context.

Play the Eb phrygian dominant scale

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

Notes of the Eb phrygian dominant scale

NoteDegreeIntervalSemitones from root
Eb1Root0
Fbb2Minor 2nd1
G3Major 3rd4
Ab4Perfect 4th5
Bb5Perfect 5th7
Cbb6Minor 6th8
Dbb7Minor 7th10

Structure

Eb phrygian dominant scale notes:

Eb Fb G Ab Bb Cb Db

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.

Eb Phrygian Dominant Scale Guitar Patterns

Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.

Eb Phrygian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - On one string (D)

On one string (D)

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

Box pattern — position 1

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

Box pattern — position 2

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

Box pattern — position 3

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

Box pattern — position 4

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

Box pattern — position 5

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

3 notes per string — position 1

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

3 notes per string — position 2

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

3 notes per string — position 3

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

3 notes per string — position 4

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

3 notes per string — position 5

Chords in the Eb phrygian dominant scale

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

DegreeTriadSeventh chord
1 Eb Eb7
b2 Fb Fbmaj7
3 Gdim Gdim7
4 Abm Abm(maj7)
5 Bbdim Bbm7(b5)
b6 Cbaug Cbmaj7(b13)
b7 Dbm Dbm7

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