E Phrygian Dominant: Open Strings and Flamenco Sound

E, F, G#, A, B, C and D form the E Phrygian dominant scale, probably the most natural key to hear it in on guitar. The open low E, the open high E and the open B and A strings all belong to it, so drones come for free.

Pluck the open E against an F, then slide up to the G# and you hear the whole sound in three notes. The scale equals A harmonic minor with E as the tonic. When it feels comfortable, check which scale fits which chord to know when to reach for it.

Play the E phrygian dominant scale

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

Notes of the E phrygian dominant scale

NoteDegreeIntervalSemitones from root
E1Root0
Fb2Minor 2nd1
G#3Major 3rd4
A4Perfect 4th5
B5Perfect 5th7
Cb6Minor 6th8
Db7Minor 7th10

Structure

E phrygian dominant scale notes:

E F G# A B C D

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.

E Phrygian Dominant Scale Guitar Patterns

Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.

E Phrygian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - On one string (low E)

On one string (low E)

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

Box pattern — position 1

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

Box pattern — position 2

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

Box pattern — position 3

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

Box pattern — position 4

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

Box pattern — position 5

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

3 notes per string — position 1

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

3 notes per string — position 2

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

3 notes per string — position 3

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

3 notes per string — position 4

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

3 notes per string — position 5

Chords in the E phrygian dominant scale

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

DegreeTriadSeventh chord
1 E E7
b2 F Fmaj7
3 G#dim G#dim7
4 Am Am(maj7)
5 Bdim Bm7(b5)
b6 Caug Cmaj7(b13)
b7 Dm Dm7

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