Guitar scale · Phrygian mode
F# Phrygian Scale
The ♭2 degree delivers distinct Spanish/Flamenco flavor or dark heavy metal tension.
Tap any note to hear it.
F# 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|-----------------------------2-3-5-| B|-------------------------3-5-------| G|-------------------2-4-6-----------| D|-------------2-4-5-----------------| A|-------2-4-5-----------------------| E|-2-3-5-----------------------------|
e|-----------------------------5-7-| B|-----------------------5-7-8-----| G|-----------------4-6-7-----------| D|-----------4-5-7-----------------| A|-----4-5-7-----------------------| E|-5-7-----------------------------|
e|--------------------------------7-9-10-| B|-------------------------7-8-10--------| G|-------------------6-7-9---------------| D|---------------7-9---------------------| A|--------7-9-10-------------------------| E|-7-9-10--------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------9-10-12-| B|---------------------------------10-12---------| G|-------------------------9-11-12---------------| D|-----------------9-11-12-----------------------| A|---------9-10-12-------------------------------| E|-9-10-12---------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------12-14-15-| B|----------------------------------12-14-15----------| G|-------------------------11-12-14-------------------| D|----------------11-12-14----------------------------| A|----------12-14-------------------------------------| E|-12-14-15-------------------------------------------|
How to play F# Phrygian on guitar
Find the root first: F# is at fret 2 on the low E string and fret 9 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every F# 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 2–6. 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.
F# Phrygian uses exactly the same notes as D major; only the home note changes, which is what gives it its sound. See the D Major Scale.
Degrees
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | F# |
| ♭2 | G |
| ♭3 | A |
| 4 | B |
| 5 | C# |
| ♭6 | D |
| ♭7 | E |
Chords in F# Phrygian
Stack every other note of the scale and you get these seven chords. They are the chords that sound "at home" in F# Phrygian; tap one to see its shapes.
| Degree | Chord | 7th chord | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| i | F#m | F#m7 | Tonic |
| ♭II | G | Gmaj7 | Supertonic |
| ♭III | A | A7 | Mediant |
| iv | Bm | Bm7 | Subdominant |
| v° | C#dim | C#m7b5 | Dominant |
| ♭VI | D | Dmaj7 | Submediant |
| ♭vii | Em | Em7 | Leading tone / subtonic |
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Practise F# Phrygian anywhere, even offline.
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Questions
- What notes are in the F# Phrygian Scale?
- The F# Phrygian Scale has 7 notes: F#, G, A, B, C#, D, E.
- What chords are in the F# Phrygian Scale?
- The chords of F# Phrygian are F#m (i), G (♭II), A (♭III), Bm (iv), C#dim (v°), D (♭VI), Em (♭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 F# Phrygian on the guitar?
- The root F# is at fret 2 on the low E string and fret 9 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 2–6, and four more positions connect it up the neck.