0:00 0:00
Phrygian scale
How to play the phrygian scale
Phrygian is the major scale started on its 3rd note. Play every white key from E up to the next E and you have E phrygian.
To play it from any other note, keep the formula: 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7. Compared with the major scale, each ♭ is one key lower and each ♯ one key higher.
Practice it slowly with each hand, then hold the bottom note in the left hand while the right hand plays the scale: that drone is the quickest way to hear the character of a mode.
Phrygian scale in all 12 keys
| Key | Notes |
|---|---|
| C phrygian | C D♭ E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C |
| D♭ phrygian | D♭ E𝄫 F♭ G♭ A♭ B𝄫 C♭ D♭ |
| D phrygian | D E♭ F G A B♭ C D |
| E♭ phrygian | E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ |
| E phrygian | E F G A B C D E |
| F phrygian | F G♭ A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F |
| F♯ phrygian | F♯ G A B C♯ D E F♯ |
| G phrygian | G A♭ B♭ C D E♭ F G |
| A♭ phrygian | A♭ B𝄫 C♭ D♭ E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ |
| A phrygian | A B♭ C D E F G A |
| B♭ phrygian | B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ |
| B phrygian | B C D E F♯ G A B |