The Phrygian mode is the third mode of the major scale, built from the pattern H–W–W–W–H–W–W, or 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10 semitones. E Phrygian is E, F, G, A, B, C, D, and it sounds dark and exotic because its 2nd is a minor 2nd, just one semitone above the root.
What is the Phrygian mode?
The Phrygian mode is the third mode of the major scale, built from the pattern half, whole, whole, whole, half, whole, whole, or in semitones, 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10. E Phrygian is E, F, G, A, B, C, D, the notes of the C major scale starting on E. It sounds dark and exotic, because its 2nd is a minor 2nd, just one semitone above the root, which gives the scale a tense, Spanish flavour that no other mode has. The Phrygian mode is the sound of flamenco, Spanish classical guitar, and much heavy metal, wherever a dark, dramatic, exotic colour is wanted. The minor 2nd is the note that does it: in E Phrygian the 2nd is F, a semitone above E, and that tiny gap creates a tension that the ear hears as mysterious and foreign. The mode is minor, because its 3rd is minor, but the flat 2nd makes it sound darker than the natural minor scale, and the flat 7th keeps it from sounding like the harmonic minor scale. The E phrygian scale shows the notes, and the E minor scale shows the natural minor version for comparison.
How the Phrygian mode works
Compare Phrygian with the natural minor scale on the same root, and only one note differs: the 2nd. E natural minor is E, F#, G, A, B, C, D, while E Phrygian is E, F, G, A, B, C, D. The 3rd is minor in both, the 6th is minor in both, and the 7th is minor in both, and the 2nd is the only note that changes, from major to minor. That single lowered note is what gives Phrygian its character: the scale sounds minor, but the minor 2nd adds a darkness and a tension that the natural minor scale lacks, and it creates a minor ii chord, F major in the key of E Phrygian, where the natural minor scale gives a major II chord. The Phrygian mode fits over a minor 7th chord with a flat 9th, which is why jazz players use it over the iii chord of a major key and over dominant 7th chords with altered extensions. In a ii–V–I progression in C major, the iii chord is Em7, and the E Phrygian scale, E, F, G, A, B, C, D, fits it, because every note of the scale is a note of the chord or an extension of it. The Em7 guitar chord is the chord Phrygian belongs to, and the ii–V–I progression in C major is where it is used most.
Worked example — A Phrygian. A Phrygian is the third mode of the F major scale, so it contains the notes F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E, starting on A: A, Bb, C, D, E, F, G, spelled A, A#, C, D, E, F, G in the sharp-only system used by ChordFlow. Compare it with A natural minor, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and only the 2nd differs: Bb in Phrygian, B in natural minor. The lowered 2nd gives A Phrygian its dark, Spanish sound, and the scale is used in flamenco music over an Am chord, where the Bb adds a dramatic tension. The A phrygian scale shows the notes, and the Am7 guitar chord is the chord it fits.
How to practise the Phrygian mode
Practise Phrygian by comparing it with natural minor on the same root, so your ear learns the single note that makes the mode what it is.
- Play the E natural minor scale and then the E phrygian scale, and listen for the 2nd dropping from F# to F.
- Improvise over an Em7 chord using the E Phrygian scale, and notice how the minor 2nd, F, sounds dark and exotic against the minor chord.
- Play the modes of C major in order, and stop on Phrygian, listening for the dark sound that sets it apart from Dorian and Aeolian.
- On guitar, learn the Phrygian shape in one position, then move it to a new root and name the parent major scale it comes from.
- Use the scale finder to find the Phrygian mode of any major scale, and check that its 2nd is minor.
Common mistakes
- Playing natural minor instead of Phrygian — The natural minor scale has a major 2nd, while Phrygian has a minor 2nd, and using the wrong one over a Phrygian chord will clash on the 2nd. Check the 2nd before you play.
- Forgetting the parent major scale — Phrygian is the third mode of a major scale, so E Phrygian comes from C major, not from E major. If you build Phrygian from the major scale on the same root, you will get the wrong notes.
- Using Phrygian over a major chord — Phrygian is a minor mode, with a minor 3rd, so it clashes with a major chord. It fits minor 7th chords, not major chords, so check the chord before you choose the mode.
Quick reference
This table lists the Phrygian mode in six keys, with the parent major scale in the last column so you can see that each Phrygian scale comes from the major scale a major 3rd below it. E Phrygian comes from C major, A Phrygian comes from F major, and the pattern holds for every row: the parent major scale is always a major 3rd below the Phrygian root.
| Phrygian mode | Notes | Parent major scale |
|---|---|---|
| E Phrygian | E – F – G – A – B – C – D | C major |
| A Phrygian | A – A# – C – D – E – F – G | F major |
| B Phrygian | B – C – D – E – F# – G – A | G major |
| D Phrygian | D – D# – F – G – A – A# – C | A# major |
| G Phrygian | G – G# – A# – C – D – D# – F | D# major |
| C Phrygian | C – C# – D# – F – G – G# – A# | G# major |
Work through the table by building each Phrygian scale from its parent major scale, starting the parent scale on its third degree, and checking your answers against the rows. When you can do that without looking, compare each Phrygian scale with the natural minor scale on the same root, and name the lowered 2nd in each case.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in E Phrygian?
E, F, G, A, B, C, D. They are the notes of the C major scale starting on E, and the interval pattern is 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10 semitones above the root.
How is Phrygian different from natural minor?
One note: the 2nd. Phrygian has a minor 2nd, while natural minor has a major 2nd. In E Phrygian the 2nd is F, while in E natural minor it is F#, and that one semitone gives Phrygian its dark, exotic sound.
What chord does Phrygian fit over?
A minor 7th chord, especially the iii chord of a major key. Phrygian is the scale for the iii chord, and it fits Em7 in the key of C major, Am7 in the key of F major, and Bm7 in the key of G major.
Where is the Phrygian mode used?
In flamenco, Spanish classical guitar, Middle Eastern music and heavy metal, wherever a dark, dramatic, exotic colour is wanted. It is the mode that sounds most foreign to ears trained on major and minor scales.
Is Phrygian major or minor?
Minor, because its 3rd is minor, three semitones above the root. The minor 2nd makes it sound darker than the natural minor scale, but the minor 3rd is what decides the quality, and it is minor.