Guitar scale · Phrygian mode
Ab Phrygian Scale
The ♭2 degree delivers distinct Spanish/Flamenco flavor or dark heavy metal tension.
Tap any note to hear it.
Ab Phrygian 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|-----------------------------4-5-7-| B|-------------------------5-7-------| G|-------------------4-6-8-----------| D|-------------4-6-7-----------------| A|-------4-6-7-----------------------| E|-4-5-7-----------------------------|
e|------------------------------7-9-| B|-----------------------7-9-10-----| G|-----------------6-8-9------------| D|-----------6-7-9------------------| A|-----6-7-9------------------------| E|-7-9------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------9-11-12-| B|-----------------------------9-10-12---------| G|----------------------8-9-11-----------------| D|-----------------9-11------------------------| A|---------9-11-12-----------------------------| E|-9-11-12-------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------11-12-14-| B|-------------------------------------12-14----------| G|----------------------------11-13-14----------------| D|-------------------11-13-14-------------------------| A|----------11-12-14----------------------------------| E|-11-12-14-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------14-16-17-| B|----------------------------------14-16-17----------| G|-------------------------13-14-16-------------------| D|----------------13-14-16----------------------------| A|----------14-16-------------------------------------| E|-14-16-17-------------------------------------------|
How to play Ab Phrygian on guitar
Find the root first: Ab is at fret 4 on the low E string and fret 11 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every Ab 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 4–8. 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.
Ab Phrygian uses exactly the same notes as Fb major; only the home note changes, which is what gives it its sound. On the guitar those are the same frets as E major, the name it is listed under here. See the E Major Scale.
Ab Phrygian is also written G# Phrygian: G# A B C# D# E F#. The frets are the same; under that name every note keeps its own letter, with no double sharps or flats.
Degrees
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ab |
| ♭2 | A |
| ♭3 | Cb |
| 4 | Db |
| 5 | Eb |
| ♭6 | Fb |
| ♭7 | Gb |
Chords in Ab Phrygian
Stack every other note of the scale and you get these seven chords. They are the chords that sound "at home" in Ab Phrygian; tap one to see its shapes.
| Degree | Chord | 7th chord | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| i | Abm | Abm7 | Tonic |
| ♭II | A | Amaj7 | Supertonic |
| ♭III | Cb | Cb7 | Mediant |
| iv | Dbm | Dbm7 | Subdominant |
| v° | Ebdim | Ebm7b5 | Dominant |
| ♭VI | Fb | Fbmaj7 | Submediant |
| ♭vii | Gbm | Gbm7 | Leading tone / subtonic |
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Questions
- What notes are in the Ab Phrygian Scale?
- The Ab Phrygian Scale has 7 notes: Ab, A, Cb, Db, Eb, Fb, Gb.
- What chords are in the Ab Phrygian Scale?
- The chords of Ab Phrygian are Abm (i), A (♭II), Cb (♭III), Dbm (iv), Ebdim (v°), Fb (♭VI), Gbm (♭vii).
- What is the formula of the phrygian scale?
- 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7, which is the step pattern H W W W H W W (W = whole step, H = half step).
- Where do I play Ab Phrygian on the guitar?
- The root Ab is at fret 4 on the low E string and fret 11 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 4–8, and four more positions connect it up the neck.