C Phrygian mode
A minor scale with a flat second, just a half step above the root: the Spanish sound of flamenco, and of many metal riffs.
- Notes:
- C, D♭, E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭.
- Formula:
- 1, ♭2, ♭3, 4, 5, ♭6, ♭7.
- Style:
- Flamenco, metal.
- Difficulty:
- Intermediate.
On the neck
Every note of the scale on the neck (choose 12, 15 or 19 frets). Click to listen.
High E at the top, just like in tab.Neck seen from the front, headstock at the top: low E on the left, just like a chord diagram.
Play the scale notes over it. Open in the Studio
Its color
Phrygian is a minor scale with its second lowered by a half step: here D♭. That half step right above the root gives the mode its dark, Spanish color. It has the same notes as the A♭ major scale, but starts on C.
Which chords to play it over
Play it over a C minor chord, or over the Cm, D♭, Cm, D♭ back-and-forth. Slide D♭ down to C: that’s Phrygian in a nutshell.
Where you hear it
Flamenco and Spanish music, and plenty of metal riffs, which love that menacing half step.
Chords that go with it
The chords built on the notes of the scale: improvise with this scale over any progression that uses them.
Progressions to use it on
Loop the first one and improvise over it:
All 7 positions
Seven positions, one for each note of the mode, with three notes per string: the same shapes as the major scale, but the root (in orange) falls elsewhere. The characteristic note is in purple. Position 1 starts on the root, on the 6th string.
Position 1: frets 8 to 13
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|----------------------------------------9-11-13-| B|--------------------------------9-11-13---------| G|------------------------8-10-12-----------------| D|----------------8-10-11-------------------------| A|--------8-10-11---------------------------------| E|-8-9-11-----------------------------------------|
Position 2: frets 9 to 15
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|---------------------------------------------11-13-15-| B|------------------------------------11-13-14----------| G|---------------------------10-12-13-------------------| D|------------------10-11-13----------------------------| A|---------10-11-13-------------------------------------| E|-9-11-13----------------------------------------------|
Position 3: frets 11 to 16
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|----------------------------------------------13-15-16-| B|-------------------------------------13-14-16----------| G|----------------------------12-13-15-------------------| D|-------------------11-13-15----------------------------| A|----------11-13-15-------------------------------------| E|-11-13-15----------------------------------------------|
Position 4: frets 1 to 6
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|-------------------------------3-4-6-| B|-------------------------2-4-6-------| G|-------------------1-3-5-------------| D|-------------1-3-5-------------------| A|-------1-3-4-------------------------| E|-1-3-4-------------------------------|
Position 5: frets 3 to 8
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|-------------------------------4-6-8-| B|-------------------------4-6-8-------| G|-------------------3-5-6-------------| D|-------------3-5-6-------------------| A|-------3-4-6-------------------------| E|-3-4-6-------------------------------|
Position 6: frets 4 to 9
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|-------------------------------6-8-9-| B|-------------------------6-8-9-------| G|-------------------5-6-8-------------| D|-------------5-6-8-------------------| A|-------4-6-8-------------------------| E|-4-6-8-------------------------------|
Position 7: frets 6 to 11
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|-----------------------------------8-9-11-| B|----------------------------8-9-11--------| G|---------------------6-8-10---------------| D|--------------6-8-10----------------------| A|-------6-8-10-----------------------------| E|-6-8-9------------------------------------|