The Phrygian Dominant Bebop Scale - Guitar Diagrams, Theory, Jazz Concepts, Exercises and Lines
The Phrygian Dominant Bebop Scale - Guitar Diagrams, Theory, Jazz Concepts, Exercises and Lines
The Phrygian dominant bebop scale (aka Altered Bebop) contains eight tones just like all the bebop scales.
It is built the same as the Phrygian dominant scale (fifth mode of the harmonic minor scale), but with an additional note, a natural seventh (7) between the b7 and the tonic (1).
The Phrygian mode, the third mode of the major scale. The formula is 1 - b9 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - b7
The Phrygian b4 scale, third mode of the harmonic major scale is spelled 1 - b2 - b3 - b4 - 5 - b6 - b7
The Phrygian dominant Scale, fifth mode of the harmonic minor scale. Formula is 1 - b2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - b7.
Phrygian scale
1
b2 (b9)
b3
4 (11)
5
b6 (b13)
b7
Phrygian b4 scale
1
b2 (b9)
b3
b4 (#9)
5
b6 (b13)
b7
Phrygian dominant
1
b2 (b9)
3
4
5
b6 (b13)
b7
Guitar Diagrams
The following two shapes show you how to play the Phrygian dominant bebop scale on guitar within one octave.
The next two shapes show how looks the Phrygian dominant bebop scale within the space of two octaves.
Now you try the 7 shapes below that cover the whole guitar neck. Obviously, there are several possibilities of fingerings, don't hesitate to experiment you own.
Phrygian Dominant Bebop Exercises
The examples below are based on the G Phrygian dominant bebop scale (G - Ab -B - C - D - Eb - F - F#).
G Phrygian Dominant Bebop Scale
G
Ab
B
C
D
Eb
F
F#
Phrygian Dominant Bebop Scale formula
1
(b2) b9
3
4 (11)
5
b6 (b13)
b7
7
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3
How To Use The Phrygian Dominant Bebop Scale?
The Phrygian Dominant bebop scale is generally played over a VI7b9 chord, at the end of a jazz blues progression (I7 - VI7b9 - iim7 - V7) or over the rhythm changes turnaround (Imaj7 - VI7b9 - iim7 - V7).
Indeed, the tones of a 7b9 chord (1-3-5-b7-b9) match perfectly with the Phrygian dominant bebop scale.
Dominant 7 flat 9 chord
1
(b2) b9
3
X
5
X
X
7
Phrygian Dominant Bebop Scale
1
(b2) b9
3
4 (11)
5
b6 (b13)
b7
7
Phrygian Dominant Bebop Licks
This first example show how to play the Phrygian dominant bebop scale over the VI7b9 chord a rhythm changes turnaround.
As you see you will be playing a Bb major 7 arpeggio (Bb - D - F - A) with an added 13th (G) over Bbmaj7, the C Dorian mode (C-D-Eb-F-G-A-Bb) over Cm7 and notes from F Mixolydian (F-G-A-Bb-C-D-Eb) over F7.
This means that the four tones of a diminished 7 arpeggio can produce four dim7 chords.
For example Ab diminished 7 is built with Ab - B - D - F. Each tone of Abdim7 generates a dim7 chord :
Bdim7 (B - D - F - Ab)
Ddim7 (D - F - Ab - B)
Fdim7 (F - Ab - B - D)
All this is to say that you can play a G Phrygian dominant bebop scale over Abdim7, Bdim7, Ddim7 and Fdim7. In other word, you can use the Phrygian dominant bebop scale starting :
A half step (1 semitone) below the root note of a dim7 chord.
Two whole steps (4 semitones) below the root note of a dim7 chord.
Five semitones above the root note of a dim7 chord.
A whole step (2 semitones) above the root note of a dim7 chord.
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