Phrygian scale · 7 notes
G♯ Phrygian scale on guitar
The G♯ Phrygian scale (G sharp Phrygian scale) has 7 notes: G♯, A, B, C♯, D♯, E and F♯. A minor scale with a ♭2: dark, Spanish-tinged and heavy. You may also see it written as A♭ Phrygian, but G♯ is the usual spelling because it needs fewer accidentals.
Notes
- G♯
- A
- B
- C♯
- D♯
- E
- F♯
Formula
1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7
Steps
H – W – W – W – H – W – W
Sound
Dark, tense and Spanish-flavoured
G♯ Phrygian on the whole fretboard
Every G♯ Phrygian note from the open strings to the 15th fret in standard tuning (E A D G B E). The root, G♯, 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
G♯ at fret 4. 3rd position: frets 3–7.
In the Guitar Scale Finder app you also get the chords of G♯ Phrygian as chord diagrams, and can search all 1,860 scales for the notes you play.
Intervals and formula
Measured from G♯, the G♯ Phrygian scale is built from these intervals. It contains 4 sharps (G♯, C♯, D♯ and F♯). Compared with G♯ minor, it has A (♭2) instead of A♯.
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G♯ | root | 0 |
| ♭2 | A | minor 2nd | 1 |
| ♭3 | B | minor 3rd | 3 |
| 4 | C♯ | perfect 4th | 5 |
| 5 | D♯ | perfect 5th | 7 |
| ♭6 | E | minor 6th | 8 |
| ♭7 | F♯ | minor 7th | 10 |
Chords in G♯ Phrygian
Stack every other note of the scale and you get one chord on each degree. These are the chords that “belong” to G♯ Phrygian: any of them will sound at home under a melody in G♯ Phrygian.
- iG♯mG♯ · B · D♯G♯m7
- ♭IIAA · C♯ · EAmaj7
- ♭IIIBB · D♯ · F♯B7
- ivC♯mC♯ · E · G♯C♯m7
- v°D♯°D♯ · F♯ · AD♯m7♭5
- ♭VIEE · G♯ · BEmaj7
- ♭viiF♯mF♯ · A · C♯F♯m7
Progressions to try
- G♯m – A i–♭II · the Phrygian half-step
- G♯m – A – B – A i–♭II–♭III–♭II
- G♯m – F♯m – E – A i–♭vii–♭VI–♭II
How to use G♯ 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.
- G♯ Phrygian contains exactly the notes of E major, played from its third note, G♯. See E major.
Where to find G♯ on every string
Knowing where the root sits lets you start this scale anywhere. Here is every G♯ between the open string and the 12th fret.
| String | Frets with G♯ |
|---|---|
| High E (1st) | 4 |
| B (2nd) | 9 |
| G (3rd) | 1 |
| D (4th) | 6 |
| A (5th) | 11 |
| Low E (6th) | 4 |
Same notes, different name
These scales from the Scale Finder library contain exactly the same notes as G♯ Phrygian. They sound different because a different note is treated as home.
G♯ Phrygian scale FAQ
What notes are in the G♯ Phrygian scale?
The G♯ Phrygian scale has 7 notes: G♯, A, B, C♯, D♯, E and F♯. Its formula is 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7. It contains 4 sharps (G♯, C♯, D♯ and F♯).
What chords are in G♯ Phrygian?
Harmonising the G♯ Phrygian scale in thirds gives G♯m (i), A (♭II), B (♭III), C♯m (iv), D♯° (v°), E (♭VI) and F♯m (♭vii).
Where do you play the G♯ Phrygian scale on guitar?
The root, G♯, is at fret 4 on the low E string and fret 11 on the A string. A good first shape covers frets 3–7, starting from the root on the 6th string.
Which scales share the same notes as G♯ Phrygian?
G♯ Phrygian contains exactly the notes of E major, played from its third note, G♯.