Phrygian Dominant Scale
Also known as Spanish Phrygian, Spanish Gypsy Scale, Freygish, Altered Phrygian and Dominant Phrygian.
What Is the Phrygian Dominant Scale?
A fiery, exotic-sounding dominant scale — the half-step from the root to the ♭2, paired with the bright major 3rd, gives it that unmistakable flamenco / Middle-Eastern color.
Phrygian dominant takes the dark, half-step-from-the-root opening of the Phrygian mode and brightens its third to a major 3rd. The collision of a flat 2nd with a major 3rd produces the augmented-second leap (♭2 to 3) that the ear reads instantly as "Spanish" or "Middle-Eastern."
Because it is built on the 5th degree of harmonic minor, phrygian dominant is the go-to sound over a dominant 7♭9 chord resolving to a minor tonic. In flamenco it powers the Andalusian cadence; in metal and film scoring it supplies tension and an ancient, modal edge.
Formula & Construction
The Phrygian Dominant Scale follows the scale-degree formula 1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7, which in semitones from the root is 0 – 1 – 4 – 5 – 7 – 8 – 10. Starting on C that spells C – D♭ – E – F – G – A♭ – B♭ and returns to C on top.
| Degree | Semitones | Note in C |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | C |
| ♭2 | 1 | D♭ |
| 3 | 4 | E |
| 4 | 5 | F |
| 5 | 7 | G |
| ♭6 | 8 | A♭ |
| ♭7 | 10 | B♭ |
Character & Mood
A fiery, exotic-sounding dominant scale — the half-step from the root to the ♭2, paired with the bright major 3rd, gives it that unmistakable flamenco / Middle-Eastern color.
How It Is Built
The fifth mode of the harmonic minor scale — play a harmonic minor scale from its fifth degree and you get phrygian dominant. C Phrygian Dominant draws from F harmonic minor.
The Phrygian Dominant Scale in All 12 Keys
Below is the Phrygian Dominant Scale written out in every key, ascending one octave. Each key uses its correct letter-name spelling (every letter A–G appears once), so the accidentals match how the scale is properly notated.
| Key | Notes (ascending) |
|---|---|
| C | C · D♭ · E · F · G · A♭ · B♭ |
| D♭ | D♭ · E♭♭ · F · G♭ · A♭ · B♭♭ · C♭ |
| D | D · E♭ · F♯ · G · A · B♭ · C |
| E♭ | E♭ · F♭ · G · A♭ · B♭ · C♭ · D♭ |
| E | E · F · G♯ · A · B · C · D |
| F | F · G♭ · A · B♭ · C · D♭ · E♭ |
| F♯ | F♯ · G · A♯ · B · C♯ · D · E |
| G | G · A♭ · B · C · D · E♭ · F |
| A♭ | A♭ · B♭♭ · C · D♭ · E♭ · F♭ · G♭ |
| A | A · B♭ · C♯ · D · E · F · G |
| B♭ | B♭ · C♭ · D · E♭ · F · G♭ · A♭ |
| B | B · C · D♯ · E · F♯ · G · A |
How to Play It — Fingering
Right hand
Right hand (ascending from the root): thumb on the root, then 2 on the ♭2, with the thumb tucking under after the 3rd so the augmented-second leap (♭2→3) lands comfortably. A practical RH pattern for C is 1-2-3 1-2-3-4, mirroring harmonic-minor fingering shifted to start on the 5th degree.
Left hand
Left hand (ascending): start with finger 5 on the root and walk down the fingers, crossing 3 over the thumb after the 4th degree. Practise hands separately first — the ♭2 to major-3rd gap is the spot most players rush.
Where It Is Used
The Phrygian Dominant Scale turns up across Flamenco, Middle-Eastern & Klezmer, Jazz (over V7♭9) and more. A few well-known examples often associated with this sound:
- Misirlou — Traditional (popularized by Dick Dale) · A textbook phrygian-dominant melody.
- Hava Nagila — Traditional (Jewish folk) · Built on the Freygish / phrygian-dominant scale.
- Symphony No. 5 (Andante) — Beethoven · Modal color drawing on the same augmented-second flavor.
- Asturias (Leyenda) — Isaac Albéniz · A flamenco-derived guitar staple often analyzed through this scale.
References list titles and composers/artists only, as a guide to the scale’s characteristic sound.