C# Phrygian Dominant on the Fretboard

The C# Phrygian dominant scale contains C#, D, E#, F#, G#, A and B. E# is only F in sound, but the sharp spelling keeps the letters in order and lets the major third read as a third.

The root sits on the 9th fret of the low E string and on the 4th fret of the A string. These are the notes of F# harmonic minor, so a song in that key can borrow the shape. The spelling here is already the friendly one, since Db would need double flats.

Play the C# phrygian dominant scale

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

Notes of the C# phrygian dominant scale

NoteDegreeIntervalSemitones from root
C#1Root0
Db2Minor 2nd1
E#3Major 3rd4
F#4Perfect 4th5
G#5Perfect 5th7
Ab6Minor 6th8
Bb7Minor 7th10

Structure

C# phrygian dominant scale notes:

C# D E# F# G# A B

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.

C# Phrygian Dominant Scale Guitar Patterns

Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.

C# Phrygian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - On one string (B)

On one string (B)

C# Phrygian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 1

Box pattern — position 1

C# Phrygian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 2

Box pattern — position 2

C# Phrygian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 3

Box pattern — position 3

C# Phrygian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 4

Box pattern — position 4

C# Phrygian Dominant Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 5

Box pattern — position 5

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

3 notes per string — position 1

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

3 notes per string — position 2

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

3 notes per string — position 3

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

3 notes per string — position 4

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

3 notes per string — position 5

Chords in the C# phrygian dominant scale

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

DegreeTriadSeventh chord
1 C# C#7
b2 D Dmaj7
3 E#dim E#dim7
4 F#m F#m(maj7)
5 G#dim G#m7(b5)
b6 Aaug Amaj7(b13)
b7 Bm Bm7

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