Phrygian scale · 7 notes
A♯ Phrygian scale on guitar
The A♯ Phrygian scale (A sharp Phrygian scale) has 7 notes: A♯, B, C♯, D♯, E♯, F♯ and G♯. A minor scale with a ♭2: dark, Spanish-tinged and heavy.
Notes
- A♯
- B
- C♯
- D♯
- E♯
- F♯
- G♯
Formula
1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7
Steps
H – W – W – W – H – W – W
Sound
Dark, tense and Spanish-flavoured
A♯ Phrygian on the whole fretboard
Every A♯ Phrygian note from the open strings to the 15th fret in standard tuning (E A D G B E). The root, A♯, is shown in red so you can always find home.
A shape to learn first
You don’t need the whole neck at once. This hand position is anchored on a root note on the 6th (low E) string, which is how most guitarists find a scale in any key.
Root on the 6th (low E) string
A♯ at fret 6. 5th position: frets 5–9.
In the Guitar Scale Finder app you also get the chords of A♯ Phrygian as chord diagrams, and can search all 1,860 scales for the notes you play.
Intervals and formula
Measured from A♯, the A♯ Phrygian scale is built from these intervals. It contains 6 sharps (A♯, C♯, D♯, E♯, F♯ and G♯). Compared with B♭ minor, it has B (♭2) instead of C.
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A♯ | root | 0 |
| ♭2 | B | minor 2nd | 1 |
| ♭3 | C♯ | minor 3rd | 3 |
| 4 | D♯ | perfect 4th | 5 |
| 5 | E♯ | perfect 5th | 7 |
| ♭6 | F♯ | minor 6th | 8 |
| ♭7 | G♯ | minor 7th | 10 |
Chords in A♯ Phrygian
Stack every other note of the scale and you get one chord on each degree. These are the chords that “belong” to A♯ Phrygian: any of them will sound at home under a melody in A♯ Phrygian.
- iA♯mA♯ · C♯ · E♯A♯m7
- ♭IIBB · D♯ · F♯Bmaj7
- ♭IIIC♯C♯ · E♯ · G♯C♯7
- ivD♯mD♯ · F♯ · A♯D♯m7
- v°E♯°E♯ · G♯ · BE♯m7♭5
- ♭VIF♯F♯ · A♯ · C♯F♯maj7
- ♭viiG♯mG♯ · B · D♯G♯m7
Progressions to try
- A♯m – B i–♭II · the Phrygian half-step
- A♯m – B – C♯ – B i–♭II–♭III–♭II
- A♯m – G♯m – F♯ – B i–♭vii–♭VI–♭II
How to use A♯ Phrygian
Reach for it over metal riffs, flamenco-flavoured passages, and vamps where the chord a half step above the root keeps returning. Its sound is dark, tense and Spanish-flavoured.
Tip: Riff on the root and the ♭2 on your lowest string. That half-step grind is the Phrygian sound in two notes.
- A♯ Phrygian contains exactly the notes of F♯ major, played from its third note, A♯. See F♯ major.
Where to find A♯ on every string
Knowing where the root sits lets you start this scale anywhere. Here is every A♯ between the open string and the 12th fret.
| String | Frets with A♯ |
|---|---|
| High E (1st) | 6 |
| B (2nd) | 11 |
| G (3rd) | 3 |
| D (4th) | 8 |
| A (5th) | 1 |
| Low E (6th) | 6 |
Same notes, different name
These scales from the Scale Finder library contain exactly the same notes as A♯ Phrygian. They sound different because a different note is treated as home.
A♯ Phrygian scale FAQ
What notes are in the A♯ Phrygian scale?
The A♯ Phrygian scale has 7 notes: A♯, B, C♯, D♯, E♯, F♯ and G♯. Its formula is 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7. It contains 6 sharps (A♯, C♯, D♯, E♯, F♯ and G♯).
What chords are in A♯ Phrygian?
Harmonising the A♯ Phrygian scale in thirds gives A♯m (i), B (♭II), C♯ (♭III), D♯m (iv), E♯° (v°), F♯ (♭VI) and G♯m (♭vii).
Where do you play the A♯ Phrygian scale on guitar?
The root, A♯, is at fret 6 on the low E string and fret 1 on the A string. A good first shape covers frets 5–9, starting from the root on the 6th string.
Which scales share the same notes as A♯ Phrygian?
A♯ Phrygian contains exactly the notes of F♯ major, played from its third note, A♯.