Phrygian Mode/Scale: Interactive Piano & Guitar Reference with Chords

I need your help (I really do)

🎨 A visual piano and guitar reference to the Phrygian mode (aka Phrygian scale), which is the 3rd mode of the major scale. The Phrygian mode is created from the major scale by flattening the 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 7th scale degrees. The Phrygian mode is minor-sounding and sounds Eastern or Spanish.

This reference includes the notes and chords on the piano keyboard for each Phrygian scale.

Phrygian mode formula:
1 - b2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - b7

Phrygian Mode: Reference Table

First, a reference table for the Phrygian mode/scale for all the keys. The keys are in order of 5ths, as with the circle of fifths. This illustrates the close relationship between keys that are a 5th distance apart.

i	II	III	iv	v°	VI	vii	i
C	D♭	E♭	F	G	A♭	B♭	C
G	A♭	B♭	C	D	E♭	F	G
D	E♭	F	G	A	B♭	C	D
A	B♭	C	D	E	F	G	A
E	F	G	A	B	C	D	E
B	C	D	E	F♯	G	A	B
F♯	G	A	B	C♯	D	E	F♯
D♭	E♭♭	F♭	G♭	A♭	B♭♭	C♭	D♭
A♭	B♭♭	C♭	D♭	E♭	F♭	G♭	A♭
E♭	F♭	G♭	A♭	B♭	C♭	D♭	E♭
B♭	C♭	D♭	E♭	F	G♭	A♭	B♭
F	G♭	A♭	B♭	C	D♭	E♭	F

Phrygian Mode on Guitar

Here you can visualize the different keys of the Phrygian mode on the guitar fretboard. You can highlight the notes in each of the phrygian scales using the CAGED or the Three Notes Per String (TNPS) systems.

Select a Key:

Scale:

Tuning:

show:

highlight:

box:

Phrygian Mode on Piano

And now for each of the keys/scales in more detail. Tip: click the lock icon to trigger the chords of that key using buttons 1 through 7 on your keyboard.

C Phrygian

notes: C D_♭ E_♭ F G A_♭ B_♭

relative key: A_♭ major

C
D_♭
E_♭
F
G
A_♭
B_♭
C

chords in the key of C Phrygian

D Phrygian

notes: D E_♭ F G A B_♭ C

relative key: B_♭ major

D
E_♭
F
G
A
B_♭
C
D

chords in the key of D Phrygian

E Phrygian

notes: E F G A B C D

relative key: C major

chords in the key of E Phrygian

F Phrygian

notes: F G_♭ A_♭ B_♭ C D_♭ E_♭

relative key: C^♯ major

F
G_♭
A_♭
B_♭
C
D_♭
E_♭
F

chords in the key of F Phrygian

G Phrygian

notes: G A_♭ B_♭ C D E_♭ F

relative key: D^♯ major

G
A_♭
B_♭
C
D
E_♭
F
G

chords in the key of G Phrygian

A Phrygian

notes: A B_♭ C D E F G

relative key: F major

A
B_♭
C
D
E
F
G
A

chords in the key of A Phrygian

B Phrygian

notes: B C D E F^♯ G A

relative key: G major

B
C
D
E
F^♯
G
A
B

chords in the key of B Phrygian

C♯ / D♭ Phrygian

C^♯ Phrygian: C^♯ D E F^♯ G^♯ A B

D_♭ Phrygian: D_♭ E_♭_♭ F_♭ G_♭ A_♭ B_♭_♭ C_♭

relative key: A major

C^♯
D
E
F^♯
G^♯
A
B
C^♯

chords in the key of C^♯ Phrygian

D♯ / E♭ Phrygian

D^♯ Phrygian: D^♯ E F^♯ G^♯ A^♯ B C^♯

E_♭ Phrygian: E_♭ F_♭ G_♭ A_♭ B_♭ C_♭ D_♭

relative key: B major

D^♯
E
F^♯
G^♯
A^♯
B
C^♯
D^♯

chords in the key of D^♯ Phrygian

F♯ / G♭ Phrygian

F^♯ Phrygian: F^♯ G A B C^♯ D E

G_♭ Phrygian: G_♭ A_♭_♭ B_♭_♭ C_♭ D_♭ E_♭_♭ F_♭

relative key: D major

F^♯
G
A
B
C^♯
D
E
F^♯

chords in the key of F^♯ Phrygian

G♯ / A♭ Phrygian

G^♯ Phrygian: G^♯ A B C^♯ D^♯ E F^♯

A_♭ Phrygian: A_♭ B_♭_♭ C_♭ D_♭ E_♭ F_♭ G_♭

relative key: E major

G^♯
A
B
C^♯
D^♯
E
F^♯
G^♯

chords in the key of G^♯ Phrygian

A♯ / B♭ Phrygian

A^♯ Phrygian: A^♯ B C^♯ D^♯ E^♯ F^♯ G^♯

B_♭ Phrygian: B_♭ C_♭ D_♭ E_♭ F G_♭ A_♭

relative key: F^♯ major

A^♯
B
C^♯
D^♯
E^♯
F^♯
G^♯
A^♯

chords in the key of A^♯ Phrygian

Piano Samples

The piano samples used for this phrygian scale reference are from “Salamander Grand Piano V3” by Alexander Holm, licensed under CC BY 3.0.

C D E F G A B C^♯ D^♯ F^♯ G^♯ A^♯