Cadencia Española (Phrygian Dominant)

The Phrygian dominant scale (1 b2 3 4 5 b6 b7) gives Spanish and Middle Eastern music its distinctive exotic flavor. The progression Am–G–F–E uses E major (with a major 3rd) as the dominant tonic, creating intense harmonic color. This "Spanish cadence" appears in flamenco, classical guitar, and Middle Eastern music alike.