D Flamenco Ukulele Scale
Ukulele scale — fretboard diagram
D Flamenco Scale — Notes and Intervals
The D Flamenco scale is the emotional heart of Spanish music. On Ukulele, the notes are D, Eb, F, F#, G#, A, C. Closely related to the Phrygian system, it is designed to convey deep pathos, rhythmic intensity, and the passionate duende characteristic of traditional guitar styles. Commonly used in Flamenco, Latin, Classical Guitar, World. Notable players include Paco de Lucia, Tomatito, Vicente Amigo, Al Di Meola. Use over flamenco chord progressions (Am-G-F-E type). The scale supports both the melancholic phrygian passages and the explosive major-chord rasgueados.
Notes: D, Eb, F, F#, G#, A, C
Intervals: 1P, 2m, 3m, 3M, 4A, 5P, 7m
Degrees: 1 b2 b3 4 #5 6 b7
Formula: H-W-H-W-H-WH-W
Number of notes: 7
How to Play D Flamenco on Ukulele
On ukulele, find D on the fret 2 area, and work through the scale within a four-fret span. You may need to shift positions once to cover all 7 notes. Practice each position separately before linking them together.
The D Flamenco scale contains both sharps and flats (2 sharps, 1 flat), which is common in altered and exotic scales. This scale does not follow a traditional major or minor key signature, so reading from sheet music may require accidentals.
Practice Routine
Set a metronome to 80 BPM and play the D Flamenco 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.
Exotic scales like the Flamenco often work best as a melodic layer over a single root drone on D. Let the unique intervals speak for themselves without frequent chord changes.
Ukulele Tips
The compact fretboard of the ukulele makes the D Flamenco scale easy to visualize in a single position. Use this to your advantage by memorizing the scale shape relative to chord shapes you already know.
The D Flamenco scale contains 7 notes (D, Eb, F, F#, G#, A, C). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Ukulele with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for D Flamenco
The D Flamenco 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.
Explore D Flamenco Further
- Harmonize the D Flamenco scale — triads & 7th chords
- Browse chord progressions
- D Flamenco on Guitar
- D Flamenco on Bass
- D Flamenco on Piano