Guitar scale · Phrygian mode
D Phrygian Scale
The ♭2 degree delivers distinct Spanish/Flamenco flavor or dark heavy metal tension.
Tap any note to hear it.
D 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|-------------------------------------------10-11-13-| B|-------------------------------------11-13----------| G|----------------------------10-12-14----------------| D|-------------------10-12-13-------------------------| A|----------10-12-13----------------------------------| E|-10-11-13-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------13-15-| B|----------------------------------13-15-16-------| G|-------------------------12-14-15----------------| D|----------------12-13-15-------------------------| A|-------12-13-15----------------------------------| E|-13-15-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------15-17-18-| B|----------------------------------15-16-18----------| G|-------------------------14-15-17-------------------| D|-------------------15-17----------------------------| A|----------15-17-18----------------------------------| E|-15-17-18-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------17-18-20-| B|-------------------------------------18-20----------| G|----------------------------17-19-20----------------| D|-------------------17-19-20-------------------------| A|----------17-18-20----------------------------------| E|-17-18-20-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------20-22-| B|-------------------------------20-22-------| G|----------------------19-20-22-------------| D|-------------19-20-22----------------------| A|-------20-22-------------------------------| E|-20-22-------------------------------------|
How to play D Phrygian on guitar
Find the root first: D is at fret 10 on the low E string and fret 5 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every D 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 10–14. 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.
D Phrygian uses exactly the same notes as Bb major; only the home note changes, which is what gives it its sound. See the Bb Major Scale.
Degrees
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | D |
| ♭2 | Eb |
| ♭3 | F |
| 4 | G |
| 5 | A |
| ♭6 | Bb |
| ♭7 | C |
Chords in D Phrygian
Stack every other note of the scale and you get these seven chords. They are the chords that sound "at home" in D Phrygian; tap one to see its shapes.
| Degree | Chord | 7th chord | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| i | Dm | Dm7 | Tonic |
| ♭II | Eb | Ebmaj7 | Supertonic |
| ♭III | F | F7 | Mediant |
| iv | Gm | Gm7 | Subdominant |
| v° | Adim | Am7b5 | Dominant |
| ♭VI | Bb | Bbmaj7 | Submediant |
| ♭vii | Cm | Cm7 | Leading tone / subtonic |
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Practise D Phrygian anywhere, even offline.
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Questions
- What notes are in the D Phrygian Scale?
- The D Phrygian Scale has 7 notes: D, Eb, F, G, A, Bb, C.
- What chords are in the D Phrygian Scale?
- The chords of D Phrygian are Dm (i), Eb (♭II), F (♭III), Gm (iv), Adim (v°), Bb (♭VI), Cm (♭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 D Phrygian on the guitar?
- The root D is at fret 10 on the low E string and fret 5 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 10–14, and four more positions connect it up the neck.