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Scale · Reference entry

C♭ Phrygian Dominant Scale

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

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

C♭ Phrygian Dominant Scale Notes

DegreeNameNoteInterval
1TonicC♭P1
2SupertonicD♭♭m2
3MediantE♭M3
4SubdominantF♭P4
5DominantG♭P5
6SubmediantA♭♭m6
7Leading ToneB♭♭m7
8OctaveC♭

Key Signature

The C♭ 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

C♭D♭♭E♭F♭G♭A♭♭B♭♭

Diatonic Chords in the C♭ Phrygian Dominant Scale

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

C1C2C3C4BC5C6C7C8D#F#
IC♭ Major (major)
DegreeNumeralChordQuality
1IC♭ MajorMajor
2IID♭♭ MajorMajor
3iii°E♭ DiminishedDiminished
4ivF♭ MinorMinor
5G♭ DiminishedDiminished
6VI+A♭♭ AugmentedAugmented
7viiB♭♭ MinorMinor

C♭ Phrygian Dominant Scale — Frequently Asked Questions

What are the notes of the C♭ Phrygian Dominant Scale on piano?
The C♭ Phrygian Dominant Scale uses the notes C♭ – D♭♭ – E♭ – F♭ – G♭ – A♭♭ – B♭♭ – C♭. Play them in order from the root up to the octave, hands separately first, then together.
What notes are in the Cb Phrygian Dominant Scale?
The Cb Phrygian Dominant Scale contains seven notes: Cb – Dbb – Eb – Fb – Gb – Abb – Bbb. The notes table above shows each note with its scale degree and interval from the root.
How many sharps or flats does Cb Phrygian Dominant have?
The Cb 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: C♭, D♭♭, E♭, F♭, G♭, A♭♭, B♭♭.
What does the Cb Phrygian Dominant Scale sound like?
The Cb 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.

Related Tools

Circle of FifthsVisualize key relationships, relative minors, and key signatures.Chord FinderLook up any chord — see the notes, hear it, and play along.Practice RoomPlug in a MIDI keyboard and get real-time feedback on every chord and scale.Chord DrillTimed drills to build speed and recognition across all chord types.MIDI MonitorLive MIDI message stream with note names, velocity, and a scrolling staff.

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

    Hanon, Charles-Louis(1873)

    The Virtuoso Pianist in 60 Exercises

    Public domain treatise
  2. 2

    Jadassohn, Salomon(1883)

    A Manual of Harmony

    Public domain treatise
  3. 3

    Prout, Ebenezer(1889)

    Harmony: Its Theory and Practice

    Public domain treatise
  4. 4

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