D# Phrygian Dominant Guitar Scale
Guitar scale in Double Drop D tuning — fretboard diagram
D# Phrygian Dominant in Double Drop D — Notes and Intervals
The D# Phrygian Dominant scale, also known as the Spanish Gypsy scale, is the definitive sound of Flamenco, Klezmer, and Middle Eastern music. On Guitar, the notes are D#, E, G, G#, A#, B, C#. 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: D#, E, G, G#, A#, B, C#
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
Tuning: Double Drop D (D-A-D-G-B-D)
Also known as: spanish, phrygian major
About Double Drop D Tuning
Double Drop D tuning (D-A-D-G-B-D) lowers both the 6th and 1st strings from E to D, creating a symmetrical frame of D notes around the standard middle four strings. This gives a distinctly resonant, jangly character that has been beloved in folk-rock and acoustic music since the late 1960s.
Neil Young used Double Drop D extensively — 'Cinnamon Girl' features its distinctive droning riff, and 'The Needle and the Damage Done' showcases its intimate fingerpicking potential. Jimmy Page used it on Led Zeppelin's 'Going to California'. Fleetwood Mac's 'The Chain' also employs this tuning. Because only two strings change (both by just one whole step), Double Drop D is one of the easiest alternate tunings to learn — most standard chord shapes on the inner four strings remain unchanged.
Notable artists: Neil Young, Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), Fleetwood Mac, Crosby Stills Nash & Young
Best for: Folk-rock songwriting, D-centric acoustic arrangements, droning fingerpicking patterns, and any song that benefits from rich D-string resonance on both outer strings
Musical Character
The major 3rd within a Phrygian framework (b2, b6, b7) creates a scale that sounds simultaneously 'eastern' and 'powerful'. The b2-3 interval (augmented 2nd) is its signature exotic leap.
Chord Progressions Using This Scale
- i – VII – VI – V (Andalusian Cadence)World / Flamenco — Tension & Drama
Explore This Scale in Other Tunings
- D# Phrygian Dominant in Standard Tuning
- D# Phrygian Dominant in Drop D
- D# Phrygian Dominant in DADGAD
- D# Phrygian Dominant in Open G
- D# Phrygian Dominant in Baritone (B Standard)
- D# Phrygian Dominant in 7-string
- D# Phrygian Dominant in 8-string
- D# Phrygian Dominant in Drop C
- D# Phrygian Dominant in Drop B
- D# Phrygian Dominant in Open D
- D# Phrygian Dominant in Half Step Down
- D# Phrygian Dominant in Open E
- D# Phrygian Dominant in Open A
- D# Phrygian Dominant in Open C