Play the phrygian (iii) scale on the guitar
Phrygian mode is the third mode of the major scale. With its distinctive minor second, it evokes Spanish and oriental sonorities, dark and mysterious.
Intervals table
| I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Root | Minor second | Minor third | Perfect fourth | Perfect fifth | Minor sixth | Minor seventh |
| 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 10 |
| — | +1 | +2 | +2 | +2 | +1 | +2 |
Theoretical construction
Phrygian mode is the third degree of the major scale. If you play a C major scale starting from E, you get E Phrygian. Its unique characteristic is the semitone interval (♭2) just above the tonic, creating immediate tension. Its tonic chord is min7 or min(add♭9). The progression i-♭II (e.g., Emin-F) is typically Phrygian and omnipresent in flamenco. Phrygian dominant mode (with major third) is even more used in Spanish and oriental music.
Position examples
Example with A Phrygian (III)
