The D Flat Phrygian scale is one of the most distinctive modes for creating dark, exotic guitar lines. As the third mode of A Flat major, it shares the same notes but shifts the tonal focus to D Flat, producing a sound that’s perfect for flamenco, metal, and fusion improvisation.
This page gives you five tabbed positions for the D Flat Phrygian scale, designed to help you move across the fretboard while staying grounded in this moody, minor-sounding mode.
Fretboard Position 1
e|---------------------------------|-----------------------[9]-| B|---------------------------------|------------9--10--12------| G|---------------------------------|-----9--11-----------------| D|-------------------------9--[11]-|-12------------------------| A|--------------9--11--12----------|---------------------------| E|-[9]--10--12---------------------|---------------------------|
Fretboard Position 2
e|----------------------------------|---------------------------12-| B|----------------------------------|-----------------[14]--15-----| G|----------------------------------|-----13--14--16---------------| D|---------------------------12--14-|-16---------------------------| A|-------------12--14--[16]---------|------------------------------| E|-12--14--16-----------------------|------------------------------|
Fretboard Position 3
e|--------------------------|---------------------2-| B|--------------------------|----------[2]--3--5----| G|--------------------------|----2--4---------------| D|---------------------2--4-|-6---------------------| A|----------2--[4]--5-------|-----------------------| E|-2--4--5------------------|-----------------------|
Fretboard Position 4
e|--------------------------|---------------------4-| B|--------------------------|---------------5--7----| G|--------------------------|----4--[6]--7----------| D|---------------------4--6-|-7---------------------| A|----------[4]--5--7-------|-----------------------| E|-4--5--7------------------|-----------------------|
Fretboard Position 5
e|----------------------------|----------------------7-| B|----------------------------|------------7--9--10----| G|----------------------------|------7--9--------------| D|-----------------------7--9-|-[11]-------------------| A|-------------7--9--11-------|------------------------| E|-7--[9]--10-----------------|------------------------|
Scale Formula & Notes
Formula: 1 – ♭2 – ♭3 – 4 – 5 – ♭6 – ♭7
Notes (in Db Phrygian): Db, Eb, Fb, Gb, Ab, Bb, Cb
Related Scales
Relative Major: A Flat (Ab) Major Scale Tabs
Parallel Major: D Flat (Db) Major Scale Tabs
Chords You Can Play Over D Flat Phrygian
The D Flat Phrygian scale works well over:
- Db minor
- Eb major
- Fb minor
- Gb diminished
- Ab major
- Bb minor
- Cb minor
Explore our complete Guitar Chord Library to connect scales directly to real music.
