Phrygian scale · 7 notes
A Phrygian scale on guitar
The A 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 5. 4th position: frets 4–8.
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 1 flat (B♭). Compared with A minor, it has B♭ (♭2) instead of B.
| 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.
- iAmA · C · EAm7
- ♭IIB♭B♭ · D · FB♭maj7
- ♭IIICC · E · GC7
- ivDmD · F · ADm7
- v°E°E · G · B♭Em7♭5
- ♭VIFF · A · CFmaj7
- ♭viiGmG · B♭ · DGm7
Progressions to try
- Am – B♭ i–♭II · the Phrygian half-step
- Am – B♭ – C – B♭ i–♭II–♭III–♭II
- Am – Gm – 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) | 5 |
| B (2nd) | 10 |
| G (3rd) | 2 |
| D (4th) | 7 |
| A (5th) | 0, 12 |
| Low E (6th) | 5 |
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 1 flat (B♭).
What chords are in A Phrygian?
Harmonising the A Phrygian scale in thirds gives Am (i), B♭ (♭II), C (♭III), Dm (iv), E° (v°), F (♭VI) and Gm (♭vii).
Where do you play the A Phrygian scale on guitar?
The root, A, is at fret 5 on the low E string and fret 0 and 12 on the A string. A good first shape covers frets 4–8, 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.