Guitar scale · Phrygian mode
E Phrygian Scale
The ♭2 degree delivers distinct Spanish/Flamenco flavor or dark heavy metal tension.
Tap any note to hear it.
E 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|-----------------------------0-1-3-| B|-------------------------1-3-------| G|-------------------0-2-4-----------| D|-------------0-2-3-----------------| A|-------0-2-3-----------------------| E|-0-1-3-----------------------------|
e|-----------------------------3-5-| B|-----------------------3-5-6-----| G|-----------------2-4-5-----------| D|-----------2-3-5-----------------| A|-----2-3-5-----------------------| E|-3-5-----------------------------|
e|-----------------------------5-7-8-| B|-----------------------5-6-8-------| G|-----------------4-5-7-------------| D|-------------5-7-------------------| A|-------5-7-8-----------------------| E|-5-7-8-----------------------------|
e|----------------------------------7-8-10-| B|-----------------------------8-10--------| G|----------------------7-9-10-------------| D|---------------7-9-10--------------------| A|--------7-8-10---------------------------| E|-7-8-10----------------------------------|
e|-----------------------------------------10-12-13-| B|--------------------------------10-12-13----------| G|------------------------9-10-12-------------------| D|----------------9-10-12---------------------------| A|----------10-12-----------------------------------| E|-10-12-13-----------------------------------------|
How to play E Phrygian on guitar
Find the root first: E is at fret 0 on the low E string and fret 7 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every E 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 0–4. 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.
E Phrygian uses exactly the same notes as C major; only the home note changes, which is what gives it its sound. See the C Major Scale.
Degrees
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | E |
| ♭2 | F |
| ♭3 | G |
| 4 | A |
| 5 | B |
| ♭6 | C |
| ♭7 | D |
Chords in E Phrygian
Stack every other note of the scale and you get these seven chords. They are the chords that sound "at home" in E Phrygian; tap one to see its shapes.
| Degree | Chord | 7th chord | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| i | Em | Em7 | Tonic |
| ♭II | F | Fmaj7 | Supertonic |
| ♭III | G | G7 | Mediant |
| iv | Am | Am7 | Subdominant |
| v° | Bdim | Bm7b5 | Dominant |
| ♭VI | C | Cmaj7 | Submediant |
| ♭vii | Dm | Dm7 | Leading tone / subtonic |
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Questions
- What notes are in the E Phrygian Scale?
- The E Phrygian Scale has 7 notes: E, F, G, A, B, C, D.
- What chords are in the E Phrygian Scale?
- The chords of E Phrygian are Em (i), F (♭II), G (♭III), Am (iv), Bdim (v°), C (♭VI), Dm (♭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 E Phrygian on the guitar?
- The root E is at fret 0 on the low E string and fret 7 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 0–4, and four more positions connect it up the neck.