Getting Started with G Phrygian Dominant

G, Ab, B, C, D, Eb and F are the notes of the G Phrygian dominant scale. The open G string gives you the tonic, and the 3rd fret of the low E string marks the same note lower down.

Chord-wise, G major and Ab major are the two characteristic triads, a half step apart. The scale is C harmonic minor from its fifth degree, which is why it fits a progression ending on a G chord that resolves to Cm. See mixing major and minor modes for more ways to colour a solo.

Play the G phrygian dominant scale

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

Notes of the G phrygian dominant scale

NoteDegreeIntervalSemitones from root
G1Root0
Abb2Minor 2nd1
B3Major 3rd4
C4Perfect 4th5
D5Perfect 5th7
Ebb6Minor 6th8
Fb7Minor 7th10

Structure

G phrygian dominant scale notes:

G Ab B C D Eb F

How the phrygian dominant scale is built:

1
b2
2
b3
3
4
b5
5
b6
6
b7
7

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.

G Phrygian Dominant Scale Guitar Patterns

Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.

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

On one string (G)

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

Box pattern — position 1

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

Box pattern — position 2

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

Box pattern — position 3

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

Box pattern — position 4

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

Box pattern — position 5

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

3 notes per string — position 1

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

3 notes per string — position 2

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

3 notes per string — position 3

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

3 notes per string — position 4

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

3 notes per string — position 5

Chords in the G phrygian dominant scale

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

DegreeTriadSeventh chord
1 G G7
b2 Ab Abmaj7
3 Bdim Bdim7
4 Cm Cm(maj7)
5 Ddim Dm7(b5)
b6 Ebaug Ebmaj7(b13)
b7 Fm Fm7

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