C Phrygian Dominant Scale: Notes, Formula & Chords

C Phrygian Dominant scale on the piano

C – D♭ – E – F – G – A♭ – B♭

Click any highlighted key to hear it, or press Play to hear the scale ascending and descending.

Key facts

Scale type: Phrygian Dominant
Number of notes: 7
Formula: H–W+H–H–W–H–W–W
Parent scale: F 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.

C Phrygian Dominant uses the same notes as F Harmonic Minor, started from degree 5 instead of the first. The notes are shared; the tonic, and therefore the sound, is not.

C 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 C Phrygian Dominant

Degree	Note	Interval	Semitones
1	C	P1	0
2	D♭	m2	1
3	E	M3	4
4	F	P4	5
5	G	P5	7
6	A♭	m6	8
7	B♭	m7	10

Chords in C Phrygian Dominant

These are the triads built on each degree of C Phrygian Dominant using only notes from the scale.

Other scales on C

Every scale type that starts on C, for comparison.

Phrygian Dominant in every key

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the C Phrygian Dominant scale?

The C Phrygian Dominant scale has 7 notes: C, D♭, E, F, G, A♭, B♭.

What is the formula for the C Phrygian Dominant scale?

The C 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 C Phrygian Dominant derived from?

C Phrygian Dominant is the mode of F 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 C Phrygian Dominant scale?

The triads built from the C Phrygian Dominant scale are C, D♭, Edim, Fm, Gdim, A♭aug, B♭m.