D♯ Phrygian dominant

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

on ukulele on piano

Written out

Fig. 2 · D# 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

D♯HEW+HF𝄪HG♯WA♯HBWC♯WD♯

What is true of it

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

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

Written correctly it needs 6 alterations, F𝄪 among them. That is what the letters force, and it is also why nobody writes music in this key: the same notes spelled from the other side are easier to read.

On the same tonic, D♯ Phrygian differs from it by exactly one note.

Across the first twelve frets of the guitar its notes fall in 46 places, which is what makes a scale a shape rather than a list.

Chords made only of these notes

C♯mminor C♯dimdiminished C♯m7minor seventh C♯m7♭5half-diminished seventh D♯major D♯augaugmented D♯7dominant seventh Emajor

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

Other scales on D♯

D♯ Lydian dominantexotic D♯ alteredexotic D♯ double harmonicexotic D♯ majormajor D♯ natural minorminor D♯ harmonic minorminor

C phr dom C♯ phr dom D♭ phr dom D phr dom E phr dom F phr dom F♯ phr dom G♭ phr dom all 374