Phrygian scale · 7 notes
B Phrygian scale on guitar
The B Phrygian scale has 7 notes: B, C, D, E, F♯, G and A. A minor scale with a ♭2: dark, Spanish-tinged and heavy.
Notes
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F♯
- G
- A
Formula
1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7
Steps
H – W – W – W – H – W – W
Sound
Dark, tense and Spanish-flavoured
B Phrygian on the whole fretboard
Every B Phrygian note from the open strings to the 15th fret in standard tuning (E A D G B E). The root, B, 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
B at fret 7. 6th position: frets 6–10.
In the Guitar Scale Finder app you also get the chords of B Phrygian as chord diagrams, and can search all 1,860 scales for the notes you play.
Intervals and formula
Measured from B, the B Phrygian scale is built from these intervals. It contains 1 sharp (F♯). Compared with B minor, it has C (♭2) instead of C♯.
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | B | root | 0 |
| ♭2 | C | minor 2nd | 1 |
| ♭3 | D | minor 3rd | 3 |
| 4 | E | perfect 4th | 5 |
| 5 | F♯ | perfect 5th | 7 |
| ♭6 | G | minor 6th | 8 |
| ♭7 | A | minor 7th | 10 |
Chords in B Phrygian
Stack every other note of the scale and you get one chord on each degree. These are the chords that “belong” to B Phrygian: any of them will sound at home under a melody in B Phrygian.
- iBmB · D · F♯Bm7
- ♭IICC · E · GCmaj7
- ♭IIIDD · F♯ · AD7
- ivEmE · G · BEm7
- v°F♯°F♯ · A · CF♯m7♭5
- ♭VIGG · B · DGmaj7
- ♭viiAmA · C · EAm7
Progressions to try
- Bm – C i–♭II · the Phrygian half-step
- Bm – C – D – C i–♭II–♭III–♭II
- Bm – Am – G – C i–♭vii–♭VI–♭II
How to use B 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.
- B Phrygian contains exactly the notes of G major, played from its third note, B. See G major.
Where to find B on every string
Knowing where the root sits lets you start this scale anywhere. Here is every B between the open string and the 12th fret.
| String | Frets with B |
|---|---|
| High E (1st) | 7 |
| B (2nd) | 0, 12 |
| G (3rd) | 4 |
| D (4th) | 9 |
| A (5th) | 2 |
| Low E (6th) | 7 |
Same notes, different name
These scales from the Scale Finder library contain exactly the same notes as B Phrygian. They sound different because a different note is treated as home.
B Phrygian scale FAQ
What notes are in the B Phrygian scale?
The B Phrygian scale has 7 notes: B, C, D, E, F♯, G and A. Its formula is 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7. It contains 1 sharp (F♯).
What chords are in B Phrygian?
Harmonising the B Phrygian scale in thirds gives Bm (i), C (♭II), D (♭III), Em (iv), F♯° (v°), G (♭VI) and Am (♭vii).
Where do you play the B Phrygian scale on guitar?
The root, B, is at fret 7 on the low E string and fret 2 on the A string. A good first shape covers frets 6–10, starting from the root on the 6th string.
Which scales share the same notes as B Phrygian?
B Phrygian contains exactly the notes of G major, played from its third note, B.