A Phrygian Dominant Bass Scale
Bass scale — fretboard diagram
A Phrygian Dominant Scale — Notes and Intervals
The A Phrygian Dominant scale, also known as the Spanish Gypsy scale, is the definitive sound of Flamenco, Klezmer, and Middle Eastern music. On Bass, the notes are A, Bb, C#, D, E, F, G. It sounds exotic, passionate, and aggressive, and is a favorite for metal guitarists and composers of high-drama scores. Commonly used in Flamenco, Metal, Middle Eastern, Klezmer, Film Scores. Notable players include Marty Friedman, Paco de Lucia, Ritchie Blackmore, Al Di Meola. Use over dominant chords in flamenco/metal contexts, especially V7 in harmonic minor. The go-to for 'Spanish' or 'Arabic' sounding lines.
Notes: A, Bb, C#, D, E, F, G
Intervals: 1P, 2m, 3M, 4P, 5P, 6m, 7m
Degrees: 1 b2 3 4 5 b6 b7
Formula: H-WH-H-W-H-W-W
Number of notes: 7
Also known as: spanish, phrygian major
How to Play A Phrygian Dominant on Bass
On bass, locate A on the E string at fret 5. Use a one-finger-per-fret approach starting from the root and span two to three strings. Keep your fretting hand relaxed and practice shifting between positions cleanly.
The A Phrygian Dominant scale contains both sharps and flats (1 sharp, 1 flat), which is common in altered and exotic scales. Its relative major is C# major, which shares the same key signature.
Practice Routine
Set a metronome to 80 BPM and play the A Phrygian Dominant scale in groups of four notes, shifting the starting note each repetition. This builds muscle memory across the entire scale range. After a week, try improvising short 4-bar phrases using only these notes.
Experiment with simple two-chord vamps rooted on A to let the characteristic intervals of the Phrygian Dominant scale come through clearly.
Bass Tips
Practice the A Phrygian Dominant scale on bass using only your index and ring fingers for a two-finger-per-string approach, then switch to one-finger-per-fret. Both techniques are essential for different musical situations.
The A Phrygian Dominant scale contains 7 notes (A, Bb, C#, D, E, F, G). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Bass with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for A Phrygian Dominant
The A Phrygian Dominant scale can be played in 5 CAGED positions across the fretboard, each based on an open chord shape (C, A, G, E, D). As a 7-note scale, it also lends itself to 3-notes-per-string (3NPS) patterns that facilitate legato playing and diagonal shifting. Use the pattern selector above to isolate each position.