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Fig. 1 · C# Phrygian dominant · first 12 frets

guitar scale

C♯ Phrygian dominant

C♯1D♭2E♯3F♯4G♯5A♭6B♭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 D♭ Phrygian dominant.

on ukuleleon piano

Written out

Fig. 2 · C# 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

C♯HDW+HE♯HF♯WG♯HAWBWC♯

What is true of it

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

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, C♯ Phrygian differs from it by exactly one note.

Across the first twelve frets of the guitar its notes fall in 45 places, which is what makes a scale a shape rather than a list.

Chords made only of these notes

C♯majorC♯augaugmentedC♯7dominant seventhDmajorDmminorDdimdiminishedDmaj7major seventhF♯mminor

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

Other scales on C♯

C♯ Lydian dominantexoticC♯ alteredexoticC♯ double harmonicexoticC♯ majormajorC♯ natural minorminorC♯ harmonic minorminor

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