What are Phrygian dominant arpeggios?
An arpeggio is a chord played one note at a time, from the root up and back down. The Phrygian dominant scale has seven chords, one on each degree, so it has seven arpeggios. In E, E F G# A B C D, the home arpeggio is E G# B: the root, the major 3rd and the 5th.
Every arpeggio uses only notes of the scale, so it fits wherever the scale fits. The difference is in the sound: an arpeggio outlines the harmony, while the scale fills the space between the chord notes. The player above shows each one on the neck in any key, and the notes of all seven in all 12 keys are at the end of this page.
Phrygian dominant triad arpeggios on guitar
Three notes each: root, 3rd and 5th. Two arpeggios are major, two minor, two diminished and one augmented.
I, E: E G# B, major, the home arpeggio.
bII, F: F A C, major, a half step above the root.
iii°, G#dim: G# B D, diminished.
iv, Am: A C E, minor.
v°, Bdim: B D F, diminished.
bVI+, C+: C E G#, augmented.
bvii, Dm: D F A, minor.
Phrygian dominant seventh arpeggios on guitar
Add the 7th and every arpeggio gets four notes. The home arpeggio becomes E7, the V7 chord of A minor, because the Phrygian dominant is the 5th mode of A harmonic minor.
I7, E7: E G# B D (R 3 5 b7).
bIImaj7, Fmaj7: F A C E (R 3 5 7).
iii°7, G#dim7: G# B D F (R b3 b5 bb7).
iv(maj7), Am(maj7): A C E G# (R b3 5 7).
vø7, Bm7b5: B D F A (R b3 b5 b7).
bVI+maj7, Cmaj7#5: C E G# B (R 3 #5 7).
bvii7, Dm7: D F A C (R b3 5 b7).
Vertical Phrygian dominant arpeggios in the five neck regions
In Region view the hand stays in one place, frets 0 to 4, 3 to 7, 5 to 9, 7 to 11 or 9 to 13, and the arpeggio crosses the strings. Each one is the scale shape of that region with only the chord notes kept, so the arpeggios and the scale share one fingering.
Every arpeggio starts on its lowest root inside the region and ends on its highest, on whatever string the root falls: the 6th, the 5th or the 4th. In E, region 1, the E arpeggio runs from the open low E to the open high E: E and G# on the 6th string, B on the 5th, E on the 4th, G# on the 3rd, then the open B and E strings.
Horizontal Phrygian dominant arpeggios along the neck
In Full neck view the arpeggio starts on the root of the 6th, 5th or 4th string and travels up the neck, two notes per string, a third only when the next string would send the hand back down. It always ends on a root, two octaves above the start or as high as fret 15 allows.
The E arpeggio from the 6th string: open E and G# at fret 4, then B at fret 2 and E at fret 7 on the 5th string, G# at fret 6 and B at fret 9 on the 4th, and E at fret 9 on the 3rd string. Two octaves, from the nut to the 9th fret.
How to improvise with Phrygian dominant arpeggios
Play the arpeggio of the chord you are on. Over E7 the E7 arpeggio lands on the chord notes; over F it is Fmaj7. Use the rest of the scale to move between them.
Over E7, the G#dim7 arpeggio, G# B D F, is the E7 chord without its root plus the b9, F. That is why it sounds like E7b9, the colour of the Phrygian dominant. A diminished seventh repeats every minor 3rd, so the same shape works three frets higher or lower.
How to practise Phrygian dominant arpeggios on guitar
Start slowly in one region: click E and F in the player and let each arpeggio play from root to root. Then press Play to hear the seven in order with the tempo low, and play along.
When the region feels easy, switch to Full neck and choose the 6th, 5th or 4th string for the root. Turn on Intervals to see the root, 3rd, 5th and 7th of every arpeggio.
Phrygian dominant arpeggios on guitar in all 12 keys
For every key: the seven arpeggios of the scale, triads and seventh chords, with their notes and intervals, then the arpeggios on the neck in the region where the root sits on the 6th string, from root to root.
C Phrygian dominant arpeggios on guitar
The seven arpeggios of C Phrygian dominant start on C, Db, E, F, G, Ab, Bb. Each one is a chord of the scale played note by note: C, Db, Edim, Fm, Gdim, Ab+, Bbm as triads, C7, Dbmaj7, Edim7, Fm(maj7), Gm7b5, Abmaj7#5, Bbm7 with the 7th.
C scaleC open positionC positionsC fretboardC one stringC double stopsC chordsC inversionsC drop 2C arpeggiosC progressionsC backing track
| Degree | Triad | Notes | Seventh | Notes (intervals) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | C | C E G | C7 | C E G Bb (R 3 5 b7) |
| bII | Db | Db F Ab | Dbmaj7 | Db F Ab C (R 3 5 7) |
| iii° | Edim | E G Bb | Edim7 | E G Bb Db (R b3 b5 bb7) |
| iv | Fm | F Ab C | Fm(maj7) | F Ab C E (R b3 5 7) |
| v° | Gdim | G Bb Db | Gm7b5 | G Bb Db F (R b3 b5 b7) |
| bVI+ | Ab+ | Ab C E | Abmaj7#5 | Ab C E G (R 3 #5 7) |
| bvii | Bbm | Bb Db F | Bbm7 | Bb Db F Ab (R b3 5 b7) |
C# Phrygian dominant arpeggios on guitar
The seven arpeggios of C# Phrygian dominant start on C#, D, E#, F#, G#, A, B. Each one is a chord of the scale played note by note: C#, D, E#dim, F#m, G#dim, A+, Bm as triads, C#7, Dmaj7, E#dim7, F#m(maj7), G#m7b5, Amaj7#5, Bm7 with the 7th.
C# scaleC# open positionC# positionsC# fretboardC# one stringC# double stopsC# chordsC# inversionsC# drop 2C# arpeggiosC# progressionsC# backing track
| Degree | Triad | Notes | Seventh | Notes (intervals) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | C# | C# E# G# | C#7 | C# E# G# B (R 3 5 b7) |
| bII | D | D F# A | Dmaj7 | D F# A C# (R 3 5 7) |
| iii° | E#dim | E# G# B | E#dim7 | E# G# B D (R b3 b5 bb7) |
| iv | F#m | F# A C# | F#m(maj7) | F# A C# E# (R b3 5 7) |
| v° | G#dim | G# B D | G#m7b5 | G# B D F# (R b3 b5 b7) |
| bVI+ | A+ | A C# E# | Amaj7#5 | A C# E# G# (R 3 #5 7) |
| bvii | Bm | B D F# | Bm7 | B D F# A (R b3 5 b7) |
D Phrygian dominant arpeggios on guitar
The seven arpeggios of D Phrygian dominant start on D, Eb, F#, G, A, Bb, C. Each one is a chord of the scale played note by note: D, Eb, F#dim, Gm, Adim, Bb+, Cm as triads, D7, Ebmaj7, F#dim7, Gm(maj7), Am7b5, Bbmaj7#5, Cm7 with the 7th.
D scaleD open positionD positionsD fretboardD one stringD double stopsD chordsD inversionsD drop 2D arpeggiosD progressionsD backing track
| Degree | Triad | Notes | Seventh | Notes (intervals) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | D | D F# A | D7 | D F# A C (R 3 5 b7) |
| bII | Eb | Eb G Bb | Ebmaj7 | Eb G Bb D (R 3 5 7) |
| iii° | F#dim | F# A C | F#dim7 | F# A C Eb (R b3 b5 bb7) |
| iv | Gm | G Bb D | Gm(maj7) | G Bb D F# (R b3 5 7) |
| v° | Adim | A C Eb | Am7b5 | A C Eb G (R b3 b5 b7) |
| bVI+ | Bb+ | Bb D F# | Bbmaj7#5 | Bb D F# A (R 3 #5 7) |
| bvii | Cm | C Eb G | Cm7 | C Eb G Bb (R b3 5 b7) |
Eb Phrygian dominant arpeggios on guitar
The seven arpeggios of Eb Phrygian dominant start on Eb, Fb, G, Ab, Bb, Cb, Db. Each one is a chord of the scale played note by note: Eb, Fb, Gdim, Abm, Bbdim, Cb+, Dbm as triads, Eb7, Fbmaj7, Gdim7, Abm(maj7), Bbm7b5, Cbmaj7#5, Dbm7 with the 7th.
Eb scaleEb open positionEb positionsEb fretboardEb one stringEb double stopsEb chordsEb inversionsEb drop 2Eb arpeggiosEb progressionsEb backing track
| Degree | Triad | Notes | Seventh | Notes (intervals) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Eb | Eb G Bb | Eb7 | Eb G Bb Db (R 3 5 b7) |
| bII | Fb | Fb Ab Cb | Fbmaj7 | Fb Ab Cb Eb (R 3 5 7) |
| iii° | Gdim | G Bb Db | Gdim7 | G Bb Db Fb (R b3 b5 bb7) |
| iv | Abm | Ab Cb Eb | Abm(maj7) | Ab Cb Eb G (R b3 5 7) |
| v° | Bbdim | Bb Db Fb | Bbm7b5 | Bb Db Fb Ab (R b3 b5 b7) |
| bVI+ | Cb+ | Cb Eb G | Cbmaj7#5 | Cb Eb G Bb (R 3 #5 7) |
| bvii | Dbm | Db Fb Ab | Dbm7 | Db Fb Ab Cb (R b3 5 b7) |
E Phrygian dominant arpeggios on guitar
The seven arpeggios of E Phrygian dominant start on E, F, G#, A, B, C, D. Each one is a chord of the scale played note by note: E, F, G#dim, Am, Bdim, C+, Dm as triads, E7, Fmaj7, G#dim7, Am(maj7), Bm7b5, Cmaj7#5, Dm7 with the 7th.
E scaleE open positionE positionsE fretboardE one stringE double stopsE chordsE inversionsE drop 2E arpeggiosE progressionsE licksE ornamentsE flamenco techniqueE backing track
| Degree | Triad | Notes | Seventh | Notes (intervals) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | E | E G# B | E7 | E G# B D (R 3 5 b7) |
| bII | F | F A C | Fmaj7 | F A C E (R 3 5 7) |
| iii° | G#dim | G# B D | G#dim7 | G# B D F (R b3 b5 bb7) |
| iv | Am | A C E | Am(maj7) | A C E G# (R b3 5 7) |
| v° | Bdim | B D F | Bm7b5 | B D F A (R b3 b5 b7) |
| bVI+ | C+ | C E G# | Cmaj7#5 | C E G# B (R 3 #5 7) |
| bvii | Dm | D F A | Dm7 | D F A C (R b3 5 b7) |
F Phrygian dominant arpeggios on guitar
The seven arpeggios of F Phrygian dominant start on F, Gb, A, Bb, C, Db, Eb. Each one is a chord of the scale played note by note: F, Gb, Adim, Bbm, Cdim, Db+, Ebm as triads, F7, Gbmaj7, Adim7, Bbm(maj7), Cm7b5, Dbmaj7#5, Ebm7 with the 7th.
F scaleF open positionF positionsF fretboardF one stringF double stopsF chordsF inversionsF drop 2F arpeggiosF progressionsF backing track
| Degree | Triad | Notes | Seventh | Notes (intervals) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | F | F A C | F7 | F A C Eb (R 3 5 b7) |
| bII | Gb | Gb Bb Db | Gbmaj7 | Gb Bb Db F (R 3 5 7) |
| iii° | Adim | A C Eb | Adim7 | A C Eb Gb (R b3 b5 bb7) |
| iv | Bbm | Bb Db F | Bbm(maj7) | Bb Db F A (R b3 5 7) |
| v° | Cdim | C Eb Gb | Cm7b5 | C Eb Gb Bb (R b3 b5 b7) |
| bVI+ | Db+ | Db F A | Dbmaj7#5 | Db F A C (R 3 #5 7) |
| bvii | Ebm | Eb Gb Bb | Ebm7 | Eb Gb Bb Db (R b3 5 b7) |
F# Phrygian dominant arpeggios on guitar
The seven arpeggios of F# Phrygian dominant start on F#, G, A#, B, C#, D, E. Each one is a chord of the scale played note by note: F#, G, A#dim, Bm, C#dim, D+, Em as triads, F#7, Gmaj7, A#dim7, Bm(maj7), C#m7b5, Dmaj7#5, Em7 with the 7th.
F# scaleF# open positionF# positionsF# fretboardF# one stringF# double stopsF# chordsF# inversionsF# drop 2F# arpeggiosF# progressionsF# backing track
| Degree | Triad | Notes | Seventh | Notes (intervals) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | F# | F# A# C# | F#7 | F# A# C# E (R 3 5 b7) |
| bII | G | G B D | Gmaj7 | G B D F# (R 3 5 7) |
| iii° | A#dim | A# C# E | A#dim7 | A# C# E G (R b3 b5 bb7) |
| iv | Bm | B D F# | Bm(maj7) | B D F# A# (R b3 5 7) |
| v° | C#dim | C# E G | C#m7b5 | C# E G B (R b3 b5 b7) |
| bVI+ | D+ | D F# A# | Dmaj7#5 | D F# A# C# (R 3 #5 7) |
| bvii | Em | E G B | Em7 | E G B D (R b3 5 b7) |
G Phrygian dominant arpeggios on guitar
The seven arpeggios of G Phrygian dominant start on G, Ab, B, C, D, Eb, F. Each one is a chord of the scale played note by note: G, Ab, Bdim, Cm, Ddim, Eb+, Fm as triads, G7, Abmaj7, Bdim7, Cm(maj7), Dm7b5, Ebmaj7#5, Fm7 with the 7th.
G scaleG open positionG positionsG fretboardG one stringG double stopsG chordsG inversionsG drop 2G arpeggiosG progressionsG backing track
| Degree | Triad | Notes | Seventh | Notes (intervals) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | G | G B D | G7 | G B D F (R 3 5 b7) |
| bII | Ab | Ab C Eb | Abmaj7 | Ab C Eb G (R 3 5 7) |
| iii° | Bdim | B D F | Bdim7 | B D F Ab (R b3 b5 bb7) |
| iv | Cm | C Eb G | Cm(maj7) | C Eb G B (R b3 5 7) |
| v° | Ddim | D F Ab | Dm7b5 | D F Ab C (R b3 b5 b7) |
| bVI+ | Eb+ | Eb G B | Ebmaj7#5 | Eb G B D (R 3 #5 7) |
| bvii | Fm | F Ab C | Fm7 | F Ab C Eb (R b3 5 b7) |
G# Phrygian dominant arpeggios on guitar
The seven arpeggios of G# Phrygian dominant start on G#, A, B#, C#, D#, E, F#. Each one is a chord of the scale played note by note: G#, A, B#dim, C#m, D#dim, E+, F#m as triads, G#7, Amaj7, B#dim7, C#m(maj7), D#m7b5, Emaj7#5, F#m7 with the 7th.
G# scaleG# open positionG# positionsG# fretboardG# one stringG# double stopsG# chordsG# inversionsG# drop 2G# arpeggiosG# progressionsG# backing track
| Degree | Triad | Notes | Seventh | Notes (intervals) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | G# | G# B# D# | G#7 | G# B# D# F# (R 3 5 b7) |
| bII | A | A C# E | Amaj7 | A C# E G# (R 3 5 7) |
| iii° | B#dim | B# D# F# | B#dim7 | B# D# F# A (R b3 b5 bb7) |
| iv | C#m | C# E G# | C#m(maj7) | C# E G# B# (R b3 5 7) |
| v° | D#dim | D# F# A | D#m7b5 | D# F# A C# (R b3 b5 b7) |
| bVI+ | E+ | E G# B# | Emaj7#5 | E G# B# D# (R 3 #5 7) |
| bvii | F#m | F# A C# | F#m7 | F# A C# E (R b3 5 b7) |
A Phrygian dominant arpeggios on guitar
The seven arpeggios of A Phrygian dominant start on A, Bb, C#, D, E, F, G. Each one is a chord of the scale played note by note: A, Bb, C#dim, Dm, Edim, F+, Gm as triads, A7, Bbmaj7, C#dim7, Dm(maj7), Em7b5, Fmaj7#5, Gm7 with the 7th.
A scaleA open positionA positionsA fretboardA one stringA double stopsA chordsA inversionsA drop 2A arpeggiosA progressionsA licksA ornamentsA flamenco techniqueA backing track
| Degree | Triad | Notes | Seventh | Notes (intervals) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | A | A C# E | A7 | A C# E G (R 3 5 b7) |
| bII | Bb | Bb D F | Bbmaj7 | Bb D F A (R 3 5 7) |
| iii° | C#dim | C# E G | C#dim7 | C# E G Bb (R b3 b5 bb7) |
| iv | Dm | D F A | Dm(maj7) | D F A C# (R b3 5 7) |
| v° | Edim | E G Bb | Em7b5 | E G Bb D (R b3 b5 b7) |
| bVI+ | F+ | F A C# | Fmaj7#5 | F A C# E (R 3 #5 7) |
| bvii | Gm | G Bb D | Gm7 | G Bb D F (R b3 5 b7) |
Bb Phrygian dominant arpeggios on guitar
The seven arpeggios of Bb Phrygian dominant start on Bb, Cb, D, Eb, F, Gb, Ab. Each one is a chord of the scale played note by note: Bb, Cb, Ddim, Ebm, Fdim, Gb+, Abm as triads, Bb7, Cbmaj7, Ddim7, Ebm(maj7), Fm7b5, Gbmaj7#5, Abm7 with the 7th.
Bb scaleBb open positionBb positionsBb fretboardBb one stringBb double stopsBb chordsBb inversionsBb drop 2Bb arpeggiosBb progressionsBb backing track
| Degree | Triad | Notes | Seventh | Notes (intervals) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Bb | Bb D F | Bb7 | Bb D F Ab (R 3 5 b7) |
| bII | Cb | Cb Eb Gb | Cbmaj7 | Cb Eb Gb Bb (R 3 5 7) |
| iii° | Ddim | D F Ab | Ddim7 | D F Ab Cb (R b3 b5 bb7) |
| iv | Ebm | Eb Gb Bb | Ebm(maj7) | Eb Gb Bb D (R b3 5 7) |
| v° | Fdim | F Ab Cb | Fm7b5 | F Ab Cb Eb (R b3 b5 b7) |
| bVI+ | Gb+ | Gb Bb D | Gbmaj7#5 | Gb Bb D F (R 3 #5 7) |
| bvii | Abm | Ab Cb Eb | Abm7 | Ab Cb Eb Gb (R b3 5 b7) |
B Phrygian dominant arpeggios on guitar
The seven arpeggios of B Phrygian dominant start on B, C, D#, E, F#, G, A. Each one is a chord of the scale played note by note: B, C, D#dim, Em, F#dim, G+, Am as triads, B7, Cmaj7, D#dim7, Em(maj7), F#m7b5, Gmaj7#5, Am7 with the 7th.
B scaleB open positionB positionsB fretboardB one stringB double stopsB chordsB inversionsB drop 2B arpeggiosB progressionsB backing track
| Degree | Triad | Notes | Seventh | Notes (intervals) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | B | B D# F# | B7 | B D# F# A (R 3 5 b7) |
| bII | C | C E G | Cmaj7 | C E G B (R 3 5 7) |
| iii° | D#dim | D# F# A | D#dim7 | D# F# A C (R b3 b5 bb7) |
| iv | Em | E G B | Em(maj7) | E G B D# (R b3 5 7) |
| v° | F#dim | F# A C | F#m7b5 | F# A C E (R b3 b5 b7) |
| bVI+ | G+ | G B D# | Gmaj7#5 | G B D# F# (R 3 #5 7) |
| bvii | Am | A C E | Am7 | A C E G (R b3 5 b7) |
Phrygian Dominant Arpeggios on Guitar: frequently asked questions
Short answers to the questions guitarists ask most about the Phrygian dominant arpeggios on guitar.
What are the arpeggios of the Phrygian dominant scale?
They are the chords of the scale played note by note. In E the triad arpeggios are E, F, G#dim, Am, Bdim, C+ and Dm; with the 7th they are E7, Fmaj7, G#dim7, Am(maj7), Bm7b5, Cmaj7#5 and Dm7. The same qualities sit on the same degrees in every key.
Which arpeggio sounds most like the Phrygian dominant?
The home arpeggio, E7 in E: E G# B D. Its major 3rd G# against the scale's F, a half step above the root, is the sound of the scale. The G#dim7 arpeggio, G# B D F, played over E7 adds the b9 (F) and gives the E7b9 colour.
What is the difference between vertical and horizontal arpeggios on guitar?
A vertical arpeggio stays in one neck region and crosses the strings, so the hand does not move along the neck. A horizontal arpeggio starts on the root of one string and travels up the neck with two or three notes per string.
How do I practise Phrygian dominant arpeggios on guitar?
Start with E7 and F in one region, from root to root, slowly with the tempo low. Then play the seven arpeggios of the key in order in the same region, and finally the horizontal version from the 6th, 5th and 4th string.