Guitar scale · exotic
C Ultraphrygian Scale
Mode 3 of Double Harmonic Major: Phrygian with a lowered 4th and a doubly flattened 7th (𝄫7).
Tap any note to hear it.
C Ultraphrygian Scale tab: all 5 positions
Each tab climbs from the low E string to the high e string. Play it up, then back down.
e|--------------------------------------8-9-11-12-| B|---------------------------------9-10-----------| G|--------------------------8-9-12----------------| D|--------------------10-11-----------------------| A|-----------10-11-12-----------------------------| E|-8-9-11-12--------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------11-12-| B|-------------------------------------13-14-------| G|----------------------------12-13-14-------------| D|----------------10-11-13-14----------------------| A|-------10-11-12----------------------------------| E|-11-12-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------12-15-16-| B|----------------------------------13-14-16----------| G|-------------------------12-13-14-------------------| D|-------------------13-14----------------------------| A|----------12-15-16----------------------------------| E|-12-15-16-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------15-16-17-| B|-------------------------------------16-17----------| G|-------------------------------17-18----------------| D|----------------------17-18-19----------------------| A|----------15-16-18-19-------------------------------| E|-15-16-17-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------17-20-21-| B|-------------------------------------20-21----------| G|-------------------------17-18-20-21----------------| D|----------------17-18-19----------------------------| A|----------18-19-------------------------------------| E|-17-20-21-------------------------------------------|
How to play C Ultraphrygian on guitar
Find the root first: C is at fret 8 on the low E string and fret 3 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every C on the neck; the gold ones are the rest of the scale's home chord (♭3, 5, 𝄫7), the safest notes to land on at the end of a phrase.
Learn it one box at a time. Position 1, the E shape, sits at frets 8–12. Once it's under your fingers, move to position 2 (the D shape) and play the notes the two boxes share, then keep going up the neck. After all five, the scale joins up into one pattern across the whole fretboard.
Degrees
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | C |
| ♭2 | Db |
| ♭3 | Eb |
| ♭4 | Fb |
| 5 | G |
| ♭6 | Ab |
| 𝄫7 | A |
Chords in C Ultraphrygian
Stack every other note of the scale and you get these seven chords. They are the chords that sound "at home" in C Ultraphrygian; tap one to see its shapes.
| Degree | Chord | 7th chord | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| i | Cm | — | Tonic |
| ♭ii | Dbm | Dbm(maj7) | Supertonic |
| ♭III | — | — | Mediant |
| ♭IV+ | Fbaug | Fbmaj7#5 | Subdominant |
| V | — | — | Dominant |
| ♭VI | Ab | Abmaj7 | Submediant |
| VII | A | Amaj7 | Leading tone / subtonic |
Fretwise · Free on iPhone & Android
Practise C Ultraphrygian anywhere, even offline.
This page is a small slice of Fretwise. The app adds practice: exercises that play as tab, a new routine every day, and the tools to tune and keep time. On iPhone, iPad and Android, no sign-up.
Free
- 65 scales and 56 chord types in every key, with CAGED shapes
- A tuner with 10 tunings and a metronome from 30 to 260 BPM
- A new Daily 15 routine every day, plus free exercises
- Maqam & makam between the frets, and the Name the Note quiz
One purchase
- 282 exercises that play as tab, and routines with a speed trainer
- Chord & Scale Finder: tap the neck, get the name
- Theory Lab and the Progression Builder with 51 genre loops
- No subscription, ads removed
Questions
- What notes are in the C Ultraphrygian Scale?
- The C Ultraphrygian Scale has 7 notes: C, Db, Eb, Fb, G, Ab, A.
- What chords are in the C Ultraphrygian Scale?
- The chords of C Ultraphrygian are Cm (i), Dbm (♭ii), Fbaug (♭IV+), Ab (♭VI), A (VII).
- What is the formula of the ultraphrygian scale?
- 1 ♭2 ♭3 ♭4 5 ♭6 𝄫7, which is the step pattern H W H W+H H H W+H (W = whole step, H = half step).
- Where do I play C Ultraphrygian on the guitar?
- The root C is at fret 8 on the low E string and fret 3 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 8–12, and four more positions connect it up the neck.