The Phrygian Dominant Bebop Scale - Guitar Diagrams, Theory, Jazz Concepts, Exercises and Lines

What's The Phrygian Dominant Bebop Scale?

The Phrygian dominant bebop scale contains eight tones just like all the bebop scales. It is built the same as the Phrygian dominant scale, the fifth mode of the harmonic minor scale, but with an additional note, a natural seventh (7) between the b7 and the root (1). The Phrygian dominant scale interval pattern is 1 - b2 (b9) - 3 - 4 (11) - 5 - b6 (b13) - b7 - 7. 

Differences Between The Main Phrygian Modes

Here are three other types of Phrygian scales :

• 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 minro scale. Formula is 1 - b2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - b7. 

Phrygian Dominant Bebop Scale Guitar Diagrams

The two shapes below show you how to play the Phrygian dominant bebop scale on guitar. Indeed, 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#). 

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.

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 second line can be found at the end of a Bb jazz blues progression. Three scales and one arpeggio are used :

• Bb7 Mixolydian (Bb-C-D-Eb-F-G-Ab) over the I7 chord Bb7.
• G Phrygian dominant bebop over the VI7 chord.
• C minor blues (C-Eb-F-G-Bb-B-C) over the iim7 chord (Cm7).
• F9 arpeggio (F-A-C-D-Eb) over F9.

Relationship With Diminished 7 Chords - Jazz Concepts

The Phrygian dominant bebop scale contains a diminished 7 arpeggio. As matter of fact, the flat ninth (b9), third (3), fifth (5) and minor seventh (b7) represent the degrees of a diminished 7 arpeggio (1-b3-b5-bb7).

Diminished 7th arpeggios are symmetrical, they are made of minor thirds (3 semitones, 3 frets on the guitar). 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.

Guitar Methods

• 

  40 II V I Jazz Guitar Licks

  This pdf method for guitar contains 40 II V I jazz guitar lines with tab, standard notation, analysis, scale charts and audio files.
• 

  50 II-V-I voicings

  This guitar method is a printable PDF eBook containing 50 exercises with audio files, analysis, tab & standard notation.
• 

  40 Minor 2 5 1 Chord Voicings

  This PDF method contains 40 exercices with tabs, scores and audio files for practicing jazz guitar chords over the minor 2 5 1 progression.
• 

  40 Minor II V I Licks

  This guitar method is a printable PDF with tabs, diagrams, theory and audio files providing 40 minor II V I jazz licks.
• 

  II V I Bundle

  This package contains 3 PDF methods for jazz guitarists with tabs, audio files, analysis about the II V I progression.
• 

  40 Mixolydian Jazz Guitar Lick

  This package contains a guitar method available as a PDF with tabs, audio files and theory providing 40 dominant jazz guitar lines for teachers and students.
• 

  40 Minor Jazz Guitar Licks

  This printable guitar method in PDF format contains 40 easy minor jazz guitar lines based on the Dorian mode.
• 

  40 Major Jazz Guitar Licks

  Printable PDF eBook method containing 40 major jazz guitar licks with tab, standard notation and audio files for beginners and intermediates.
• 

  Diatonic Licks Bundle

  This package contains 120 jazz guitar lines based on diatonic modes as Mixolydian, Dorian and Ionian. PDF format with tabs, audio files and analysis.
• 

  Guitar Walking Bass Lines

  This jazz guitar method about walking bass lines and chords is available as a PDF files containing 35 exercises with tabs, analysis and audio files
• 

  101 Dominant Arpeggio Patterns

  This printable PDF method provides 101 dominant arpeggio exercises with tab, theory and standard notation for the jazz, blues and rock guitarist.
• 

  49 Essential Jazz Lines

  This printable eBook method in PDF format provides 49 jazz solo transcriptions of the greatest jazz musicians of all times with TABS, standard notation, audio files and analysis both for guitar teachers and students.
• 

  11 Jazz Blues Studies

  This PDF method contains 11 guitar lessons with chord studies, tabs, standard notation, analysis & audio files about the main blues progressions used in jazz music.
• 

  25 Altered Jazz Guitar Lines

  This PDF eBook method contains 25 altered jazz guitar licks with tabs, patterns, scale charts and audio files to master, apply and develop the altered scale.
• 

  40 Blues Dominant patterns

  This printable method is available as a PDF file containing 40 easy dominant jazz-blues guitar lines with tabs, standard notation, analysis, audio files and scale charts.
• 

  Mastering Pentatonic Scales

  This jazz guitar method is an eBook available as a PDF with standard notation, guitar tabs, diagrams, analysis, audio files and backing tracks. You will find in this booklet 25 easy jazz guitar lines with theory using common and rare pentatonic scales.
• 

  25 Soul Jazz Guitar Licks

  You will find here an eBook available in PDF containing 25 soul jazz and hard bop guitar licks in the style of Grant Green, Melvin Sparks, George Benson. These jazz lines come with tabs, standard notation, guitar neck diagrams, backing track for practice and 25 audio files for each riff.
• 

  25 Diminished Patterns

  This eBook PDF with audio files contains 25 dominant diminished jazz guitar patterns using the half-whole diminished scale and diminished 7th arpeggios.
• 

  6 Tritone substitution licks

  This Printable PDF eBook available for free download contains 6 easy jazz guitar licks with tabs/notation, youtube video link and analysis about the tritone substitution.