C# Phrygian Dominant Bass Scale
Bass scale — fretboard diagram
C# Phrygian Dominant Scale — Notes and Intervals
The C# 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 C#, D, F, F#, G#, A, B. 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: C#, D, F, F#, G#, A, B
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 C# Phrygian Dominant on Bass
On bass, locate C# on the A string at fret 4. 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 C# Phrygian Dominant scale contains 3 sharps (C#, F#, G#). Its relative major is F major, which shares the same key signature.
Practice Routine
Practice the C# Phrygian Dominant scale by playing it ascending with one rhythmic feel (straight eighth notes) and descending with another (swing or triplets) at 80 BPM. This dual approach trains both technical accuracy and rhythmic versatility with the 7 notes of the scale.
Experiment with simple two-chord vamps rooted on C# to let the characteristic intervals of the Phrygian Dominant scale come through clearly.
Bass Tips
On bass, use the C# Phrygian Dominant scale to build walking bass lines by targeting chord tones on strong beats and using scale tones as approach notes. This is the foundation of functional bass playing.
The C# Phrygian Dominant scale contains 7 notes (C#, D, F, F#, G#, A, B). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Bass with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for C# Phrygian Dominant
The C# 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.