Phrygian Dominant Shred Patterns

Welcome back! In this lesson I will be showing you some Phrygian Dominant ideas that move in a more horizontal fashion across the neck. This type of playing will help you open up the fretboard and it is a great way to learn your scales.

Also, these horizontal patterns can be great for making up sequential ideas and moving them throughout the pattern.

I have covered the Phrygian Dominant scale in previous lessons. Here is a quick refresher - it is the 5th mode of the Harmonic minor scale and the interval formula is (1, b2, 3, 4, 5, b6, b7). It is just the Phrygian scale with a raised 3rd.

Here are some ideas that will help create some cool shred lines with the Phrygian Dominant scale.

Example 1 is one of the horizontal shapes that we will use to construct some ideas from. It is from the E Phrygian Dominant scale (E, F, G#, A, B, C, D). It starts on the G# on the low E string and it climbs up the neck from there. It is 4 notes on one string and 3 notes on the next, when I ascend up the neck I use my pinky to slide up to the 4th note. When I descend with these types of patterns, I slide down with my index finger. Be sure to alternate pick all these ideas.

MP3 - Phrygian Dominant Shred Patterns - Example 1

Example 2 is another pattern in the E Phrygian Dominant scale, but higher up the neck. The root on this pattern is off of the 6th string and climbs up the neck to the second octave on the first string. Be sure to descend this as well and move this to different keys.

MP3 - Phrygian Dominant Shred Patterns - Example 2

Now with Example 3 we will apply a melodic idea to the first pattern in the E Phrygian Dominant scale and move it up in octaves. This a cool way to create longer patterns. You can play these ideas in any octave within these patterns and it will remain in the key.

MP3 - Phrygian Dominant Shred Patterns - Example 3

In Example 4, we have a 16th note triplet pattern in the B Phrygian Dominant scale that descends down the neck. This one sounds great at high speeds. You have to make sure your hands are synced up and you are using strict alternate picking.

MP3 - Phrygian Dominant Shred Patterns - Example 4

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That is it for now! Be sure to make up your own patterns. Don't forget to visit www.mikecampese.com for more information.

Mike Campese is an all-around music performer, session artist and teacher competent in many musical styles, electric and acoustic. He has studied at G.I.T. (Honors Graduate), and with Paul Gilbert, Norman Brown, Stanley Jordan, Scott Henderson and Keith Wyatt.

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