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Scale · Reference entry

B♭ Phrygian Dominant Scale

Phrygian Dominant Scale · B♭ – C♭ – D – E♭ – F – G♭ – A♭ – B♭ · intervals P1-m2-M3-P4-P5-m6-m7

The B♭ Phrygian Dominant Scale contains the notes B♭, C♭, D, E♭, F, G♭, and A♭. Its step pattern is H-A2-H-W-H-W-W. A major scale with flatted 2nd and 6th — Spanish and Middle Eastern, the flamenco mode.

At the keyboard

Cb · Bb · D · Eb · F · Gb · Ab
Flashcards · Scale
Three questions on B♭ Phrygian Dominant Scale
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The B♭ Phrygian Dominant scale contains seven notes: B♭, C♭, D, E♭, F, G♭, and A♭. It follows the whole-step / half-step pattern H-A2-H-W-H-W-W.

B♭ Phrygian Dominant Scale Notes

DegreeNameNoteInterval
1TonicB♭P1
2SupertonicC♭m2
3MediantDM3
4SubdominantE♭P4
5DominantFP5
6SubmediantG♭m6
7Leading ToneA♭m7
8OctaveB♭

Key Signature

The B♭ Phrygian Dominant Scale doesn’t line up with a single major or minor key, so it has no standard key signature. Its notes are written with accidentals as needed.

Accidentals

B♭C♭E♭G♭A♭

Diatonic Chords in the B♭ Phrygian Dominant Scale

These are the triads built on each degree of the B♭ Phrygian Dominant Scale:

C1C2C3C4C5DFC6C7C8A#
IB♭ Major (major)
DegreeNumeralChordQuality
1IB♭ MajorMajor
2IIC♭ MajorMajor
3iii°D DiminishedDiminished
4ivE♭ MinorMinor
5F DiminishedDiminished
6VI+G♭ AugmentedAugmented
7viiA♭ MinorMinor

B♭ Phrygian Dominant Scale — Frequently Asked Questions

What are the notes of the B♭ Phrygian Dominant Scale on piano?
The B♭ Phrygian Dominant Scale uses the notes B♭ – C♭ – D – E♭ – F – G♭ – A♭ – B♭. Play them in order from the root up to the octave, hands separately first, then together.
What notes are in the Bb Phrygian Dominant Scale?
The Bb Phrygian Dominant Scale contains seven notes: Bb – Cb – D – Eb – F – Gb – Ab. The notes table above shows each note with its scale degree and interval from the root.
How many sharps or flats does Bb Phrygian Dominant have?
The Bb Phrygian Dominant Scale doesn't correspond to a single major or minor key, so it has no standard key signature. Its notes are written with accidentals as needed: B♭, C♭, E♭, G♭, A♭.
What does the Bb Phrygian Dominant Scale sound like?
The Bb Phrygian Dominant Scale has a dark Spanish/flamenco character driven by the lowered second degree. As a mode, it shares notes with a parent major scale but feels different because a different note acts as the tonal center.

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References & Further Reading

The note names, intervals, fingering, and harmony on this scale page are grounded in the following sources. Public domain treatises and scores are linked to their full text; primary data is piano.org's own interval-derived reference dataset — continuously maintained and human-verified, with no fixed publication date.

  1. 1

    C. P. E. Bach(1753)

    Essay on the True Art of Playing Keyboard Instruments

    Public domain treatise
  2. 2

    Hanon, Charles-Louis(1873)

    The Virtuoso Pianist in 60 Exercises

    Public domain treatise
  3. 3

    Jadassohn, Salomon(1883)

    A Manual of Harmony

    Public domain treatise
  4. 4

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