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Fig. 1 · Bb Phrygian dominant · first 12 frets

guitar scale

B♭ Phrygian dominant

B♭1C♭♭2D3E♭4F5G♭♭6A♭♭7

The fifth mode of harmonic minor: a flat second over a major third, so the step from the second to the third is a step and a half.

The same sounds spelled from the other side are A♯ Phrygian dominant.

on ukuleleon piano

Written out

Fig. 2 · Bb Phrygian dominant, ascending

Every accidental is written in, rather than left to a key signature, so the letters can be read one at a time.

The step pattern

B♭HC♭W+HDHE♭WFHG♭WA♭WB♭

What is true of it

B♭ Phrygian dominant is B♭, C♭, D, E♭, F, G♭ and A♭, and back to B♭.

Its steps are H – W+H – H – W – H – W – W, where W is a whole step and H a half.

On the same tonic, B♭ Phrygian differs from it by exactly one note.

Across the first twelve frets of the guitar its notes fall in 44 places, which is what makes a scale a shape rather than a list.

Chords made only of these notes

DdimdiminishedDaugaugmentedE♭mminorFdimdiminishedFm7♭5half-diminished seventhG♭augaugmentedA♭mminorA♭dimdiminished

Found by testing every chord in the catalogue against these 7 sounds, not chosen.

Other scales on B♭

B♭ Lydian dominantexoticB♭ alteredexoticB♭ double harmonicexoticB♭ majormajorB♭ natural minorminorB♭ harmonic minorminor

C phr domC♯ phr domD♭ phr domD phr domD♯ phr domE♭ phr domE phr domF phr domall 374