Guitar scale · Phrygian mode
Bb Phrygian Scale
The ♭2 degree delivers distinct Spanish/Flamenco flavor or dark heavy metal tension.
Tap any note to hear it.
Bb 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|------------------------------6-7-9-| B|--------------------------7-9-------| G|-------------------6-8-10-----------| D|-------------6-8-9------------------| A|-------6-8-9------------------------| E|-6-7-9------------------------------|
e|------------------------------------9-11-| B|----------------------------9-11-12------| G|--------------------8-10-11--------------| D|-------------8-9-11----------------------| A|------8-9-11-----------------------------| E|-9-11------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------11-13-14-| B|----------------------------------11-12-14----------| G|-------------------------10-11-13-------------------| D|-------------------11-13----------------------------| A|----------11-13-14----------------------------------| E|-11-13-14-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------13-14-16-| B|-------------------------------------14-16----------| G|----------------------------13-15-16----------------| D|-------------------13-15-16-------------------------| A|----------13-14-16----------------------------------| E|-13-14-16-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------16-18-19-| B|----------------------------------16-18-19----------| G|-------------------------15-16-18-------------------| D|----------------15-16-18----------------------------| A|----------16-18-------------------------------------| E|-16-18-19-------------------------------------------|
How to play Bb Phrygian on guitar
Find the root first: Bb is at fret 6 on the low E string and fret 1 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every Bb 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 6–10. 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.
Bb Phrygian uses exactly the same notes as Gb major; only the home note changes, which is what gives it its sound. On the guitar those are the same frets as F# major, the name it is listed under here. See the F# Major Scale.
Degrees
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | Bb |
| ♭2 | Cb |
| ♭3 | Db |
| 4 | Eb |
| 5 | F |
| ♭6 | Gb |
| ♭7 | Ab |
Chords in Bb Phrygian
Stack every other note of the scale and you get these seven chords. They are the chords that sound "at home" in Bb Phrygian; tap one to see its shapes.
| Degree | Chord | 7th chord | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| i | Bbm | Bbm7 | Tonic |
| ♭II | Cb | Cbmaj7 | Supertonic |
| ♭III | Db | Db7 | Mediant |
| iv | Ebm | Ebm7 | Subdominant |
| v° | Fdim | Fm7b5 | Dominant |
| ♭VI | Gb | Gbmaj7 | Submediant |
| ♭vii | Abm | Abm7 | Leading tone / subtonic |
Fretwise · Free on iPhone & Android
Practise Bb Phrygian 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 Bb Phrygian Scale?
- The Bb Phrygian Scale has 7 notes: Bb, Cb, Db, Eb, F, Gb, Ab.
- What chords are in the Bb Phrygian Scale?
- The chords of Bb Phrygian are Bbm (i), Cb (♭II), Db (♭III), Ebm (iv), Fdim (v°), Gb (♭VI), Abm (♭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 Bb Phrygian on the guitar?
- The root Bb is at fret 6 on the low E string and fret 1 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 6–10, and four more positions connect it up the neck.