Phrygian scale · 7 notes
E Phrygian scale on guitar
The E Phrygian scale has 7 notes: E, F, G, A, B, C and D. A minor scale with a ♭2: dark, Spanish-tinged and heavy.
Notes
- E
- F
- G
- A
- B
- C
- D
Formula
1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7
Steps
H – W – W – W – H – W – W
Sound
Dark, tense and Spanish-flavoured
E Phrygian on the whole fretboard
Every E Phrygian note from the open strings to the 15th fret in standard tuning (E A D G B E). The root, E, 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
E at fret 0. Open position: frets 0–4.
In the Guitar Scale Finder app you also get the chords of E Phrygian as chord diagrams, and can search all 1,860 scales for the notes you play.
Intervals and formula
Measured from E, the E Phrygian scale is built from these intervals. It has no sharps or flats: every note is a natural. Compared with E minor, it has F (♭2) instead of F♯.
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | root | 0 |
| ♭2 | F | minor 2nd | 1 |
| ♭3 | G | minor 3rd | 3 |
| 4 | A | perfect 4th | 5 |
| 5 | B | perfect 5th | 7 |
| ♭6 | C | minor 6th | 8 |
| ♭7 | D | minor 7th | 10 |
Chords in E Phrygian
Stack every other note of the scale and you get one chord on each degree. These are the chords that “belong” to E Phrygian: any of them will sound at home under a melody in E Phrygian.
- iEmE · G · BEm7
- ♭IIFF · A · CFmaj7
- ♭IIIGG · B · DG7
- ivAmA · C · EAm7
- v°B°B · D · FBm7♭5
- ♭VICC · E · GCmaj7
- ♭viiDmD · F · ADm7
Progressions to try
- Em – F i–♭II · the Phrygian half-step
- Em – F – G – F i–♭II–♭III–♭II
- Em – Dm – C – F i–♭vii–♭VI–♭II
How to use E 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.
- E Phrygian contains exactly the notes of C major, played from its third note, E. See C major.
Where to find E on every string
Knowing where the root sits lets you start this scale anywhere. Here is every E between the open string and the 12th fret.
| String | Frets with E |
|---|---|
| High E (1st) | 0, 12 |
| B (2nd) | 5 |
| G (3rd) | 9 |
| D (4th) | 2 |
| A (5th) | 7 |
| Low E (6th) | 0, 12 |
Same notes, different name
These scales from the Scale Finder library contain exactly the same notes as E Phrygian. They sound different because a different note is treated as home.
E Phrygian scale FAQ
What notes are in the E Phrygian scale?
The E Phrygian scale has 7 notes: E, F, G, A, B, C and D. Its formula is 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7. It has no sharps or flats: every note is a natural.
What chords are in E Phrygian?
Harmonising the E Phrygian scale in thirds gives Em (i), F (♭II), G (♭III), Am (iv), B° (v°), C (♭VI) and Dm (♭vii).
Where do you play the E Phrygian scale on guitar?
The root, E, is at fret 0 on the low E string and fret 7 on the A string. A good first shape covers frets 0–4, starting from the root on the 6th string.
Which scales share the same notes as E Phrygian?
E Phrygian contains exactly the notes of C major, played from its third note, E.