A♭ Phrygian Dominant Scale
The A♭ Phrygian Dominant scale contains 7 notes: A♭, B♭♭, C, D♭, E♭, F♭, G♭.
A♭ Phrygian Dominant scale on the piano
Key facts
- Scale type
- Phrygian Dominant
- Number of notes
- 7
- Formula
- H–W+H–H–W–H–W–W
- Parent scale
- D♭ Harmonic Minor (degree 5)
What is the Phrygian Dominant scale?
Phrygian dominant is the fifth mode of harmonic minor — a major scale with a lowered second, sixth and seventh. It fits over a dominant seventh chord with a flat ninth, and it is the sound of flamenco, klezmer and middle eastern melody.
A♭ Phrygian Dominant uses the same notes as D♭ Harmonic Minor, started from degree 5 instead of the first. The notes are shared; the tonic, and therefore the sound, is not.
A♭ Phrygian Dominant is a scale, not a key. It has no key signature of its own — music that uses it is normally written in the key signature of its parent scale, with any extra accidentals added as they occur.
Scale degrees of A♭ Phrygian Dominant
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A♭ | P1 | 0 |
| 2 | B♭♭ | m2 | 1 |
| 3 | C | M3 | 4 |
| 4 | D♭ | P4 | 5 |
| 5 | E♭ | P5 | 7 |
| 6 | F♭ | m6 | 8 |
| 7 | G♭ | m7 | 10 |
Chords in A♭ Phrygian Dominant
These are the triads built on each degree of A♭ Phrygian Dominant using only notes from the scale.
Other scales on A♭
Every scale type that starts on A♭, for comparison.
Phrygian Dominant in every key
- C Phrygian Dominant
- C♯ Phrygian Dominant
- D♭ Phrygian Dominant
- D Phrygian Dominant
- D♯ Phrygian Dominant
- E♭ Phrygian Dominant
- E Phrygian Dominant
- F Phrygian Dominant
- F♯ Phrygian Dominant
- G♭ Phrygian Dominant
- G Phrygian Dominant
- G♯ Phrygian Dominant
- A Phrygian Dominant
- A♯ Phrygian Dominant
- B♭ Phrygian Dominant
- B Phrygian Dominant
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the A♭ Phrygian Dominant scale?
The A♭ Phrygian Dominant scale has 7 notes: A♭, B♭♭, C, D♭, E♭, F♭, G♭.
What is the formula for the A♭ Phrygian Dominant scale?
The A♭ Phrygian Dominant scale follows the step pattern H–W+H–H–W–H–W–W, where H is a half step and W is a whole step.
What scale is A♭ Phrygian Dominant derived from?
A♭ Phrygian Dominant is the mode of D♭ Harmonic Minor that starts on its 5 degree. Both scales use the same notes but resolve to a different tonic.
What chords are in the A♭ Phrygian Dominant scale?
The triads built from the A♭ Phrygian Dominant scale are A♭, B♭♭, Cdim, D♭m, E♭dim, F♭aug, G♭m.
