Guitar scale · Phrygian mode
C Phrygian Scale
The ♭2 degree delivers distinct Spanish/Flamenco flavor or dark heavy metal tension.
Tap any note to hear it.
C 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|-------------------------------------8-9-11-| B|--------------------------------9-11--------| G|------------------------8-10-12-------------| D|----------------8-10-11---------------------| A|--------8-10-11-----------------------------| E|-8-9-11-------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------11-13-| B|----------------------------------11-13-14-------| G|-------------------------10-12-13----------------| D|----------------10-11-13-------------------------| A|-------10-11-13----------------------------------| E|-11-13-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------13-15-16-| B|----------------------------------13-14-16----------| G|-------------------------12-13-15-------------------| D|-------------------13-15----------------------------| A|----------13-15-16----------------------------------| E|-13-15-16-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------15-16-18-| B|-------------------------------------16-18----------| G|----------------------------15-17-18----------------| D|-------------------15-17-18-------------------------| A|----------15-16-18----------------------------------| E|-15-16-18-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------18-20-21-| B|----------------------------------18-20-21----------| G|-------------------------17-18-20-------------------| D|----------------17-18-20----------------------------| A|----------18-20-------------------------------------| E|-18-20-21-------------------------------------------|
How to play C Phrygian on guitar
Find the root first: C is at fret 8 on the low E string and fret 3 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every C 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 8–12. 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.
C Phrygian uses exactly the same notes as Ab major; only the home note changes, which is what gives it its sound. See the Ab Major Scale.
Degrees
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | C |
| ♭2 | Db |
| ♭3 | Eb |
| 4 | F |
| 5 | G |
| ♭6 | Ab |
| ♭7 | Bb |
Chords in C Phrygian
Stack every other note of the scale and you get these seven chords. They are the chords that sound "at home" in C Phrygian; tap one to see its shapes.
| Degree | Chord | 7th chord | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| i | Cm | Cm7 | Tonic |
| ♭II | Db | Dbmaj7 | Supertonic |
| ♭III | Eb | Eb7 | Mediant |
| iv | Fm | Fm7 | Subdominant |
| v° | Gdim | Gm7b5 | Dominant |
| ♭VI | Ab | Abmaj7 | Submediant |
| ♭vii | Bbm | Bbm7 | Leading tone / subtonic |
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Practise C Phrygian anywhere, even offline.
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Questions
- What notes are in the C Phrygian Scale?
- The C Phrygian Scale has 7 notes: C, Db, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb.
- What chords are in the C Phrygian Scale?
- The chords of C Phrygian are Cm (i), Db (♭II), Eb (♭III), Fm (iv), Gdim (v°), Ab (♭VI), Bbm (♭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 C Phrygian on the guitar?
- The root C is at fret 8 on the low E string and fret 3 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 8–12, and four more positions connect it up the neck.