Phrygian scale · 7 notes
C Phrygian scale on guitar
The C Phrygian scale has 7 notes: C, D♭, E♭, F, G, A♭ and B♭. A minor scale with a ♭2: dark, Spanish-tinged and heavy.
Notes
- C
- D♭
- E♭
- F
- G
- A♭
- B♭
Formula
1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7
Steps
H – W – W – W – H – W – W
Sound
Dark, tense and Spanish-flavoured
C Phrygian on the whole fretboard
Every C Phrygian note from the open strings to the 15th fret in standard tuning (E A D G B E). The root, C, 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
C at fret 8. 7th position: frets 7–11.
In the Guitar Scale Finder app you also get the chords of C Phrygian as chord diagrams, and can search all 1,860 scales for the notes you play.
Intervals and formula
Measured from C, the C Phrygian scale is built from these intervals. It contains 4 flats (D♭, E♭, A♭ and B♭). Compared with C minor, it has D♭ (♭2) instead of D.
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | root | 0 |
| ♭2 | D♭ | minor 2nd | 1 |
| ♭3 | E♭ | minor 3rd | 3 |
| 4 | F | perfect 4th | 5 |
| 5 | G | perfect 5th | 7 |
| ♭6 | A♭ | minor 6th | 8 |
| ♭7 | B♭ | minor 7th | 10 |
Chords in C Phrygian
Stack every other note of the scale and you get one chord on each degree. These are the chords that “belong” to C Phrygian: any of them will sound at home under a melody in C Phrygian.
- iCmC · E♭ · GCm7
- ♭IID♭D♭ · F · A♭D♭maj7
- ♭IIIE♭E♭ · G · B♭E♭7
- ivFmF · A♭ · CFm7
- v°G°G · B♭ · D♭Gm7♭5
- ♭VIA♭A♭ · C · E♭A♭maj7
- ♭viiB♭mB♭ · D♭ · FB♭m7
Progressions to try
- Cm – D♭ i–♭II · the Phrygian half-step
- Cm – D♭ – E♭ – D♭ i–♭II–♭III–♭II
- Cm – B♭m – A♭ – D♭ i–♭vii–♭VI–♭II
How to use C 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.
- C Phrygian contains exactly the notes of A♭ major, played from its third note, C. See A♭ major.
Where to find C on every string
Knowing where the root sits lets you start this scale anywhere. Here is every C between the open string and the 12th fret.
| String | Frets with C |
|---|---|
| High E (1st) | 8 |
| B (2nd) | 1 |
| G (3rd) | 5 |
| D (4th) | 10 |
| A (5th) | 3 |
| Low E (6th) | 8 |
Same notes, different name
These scales from the Scale Finder library contain exactly the same notes as C Phrygian. They sound different because a different note is treated as home.
C Phrygian scale FAQ
What notes are in the C Phrygian scale?
The C Phrygian scale has 7 notes: C, D♭, E♭, F, G, A♭ and B♭. Its formula is 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7. It contains 4 flats (D♭, E♭, A♭ and B♭).
What chords are in C Phrygian?
Harmonising the C Phrygian scale in thirds gives Cm (i), D♭ (♭II), E♭ (♭III), Fm (iv), G° (v°), A♭ (♭VI) and B♭m (♭vii).
Where do you play the C Phrygian scale on guitar?
The root, C, is at fret 8 on the low E string and fret 3 on the A string. A good first shape covers frets 7–11, starting from the root on the 6th string.
Which scales share the same notes as C Phrygian?
C Phrygian contains exactly the notes of A♭ major, played from its third note, C.