D Phrygian Scale
The D Phrygian scale contains 7 notes: D, E♭, F, G, A, B♭, C.
D Phrygian scale on the piano
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What is the Phrygian scale?
Phrygian is the third mode of the major scale — a minor scale with a lowered second. The half step between the first two notes gives it the Spanish and flamenco colour, and it is a staple of metal riffing.
D Phrygian uses the same notes as B♭ Dur, started from degree 3 instead of the first. The notes are shared; the tonic, and therefore the sound, is not.
D Phrygian 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 D Phrygian
| Trinn | Note | Intervall | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D | P1 | 0 |
| 2 | E♭ | m2 | 1 |
| 3 | F | m3 | 3 |
| 4 | G | P4 | 5 |
| 5 | A | P5 | 7 |
| 6 | B♭ | m6 | 8 |
| 7 | C | m7 | 10 |
Chords in D Phrygian
These are the triads built on each degree of D Phrygian using only notes from the scale.
Other scales on D
Every scale type that starts on D, for comparison.
Phrygian in every key
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What notes are in the D Phrygian scale?
The D Phrygian scale has 7 notes: D, E♭, F, G, A, B♭, C.
What is the formula for the D Phrygian scale?
The D Phrygian scale follows the step pattern H–W–W–W–H–W–W, where H is a half step and W is a whole step.
What scale is D Phrygian derived from?
D Phrygian is the mode of B♭ Dur that starts on its 3 degree. Both scales use the same notes but resolve to a different tonic.
What chords are in the D Phrygian scale?
The triads built from the D Phrygian scale are Dm, E♭, F, Gm, Adim, B♭, Cm.
