E Phrygian mode on banjo
The E Phrygian mode has seven notes: E, F, G, A, B, C and D (1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7). A minor scale with a flat 2nd, one fret above the root. Dark and tense: metal riffs lean on that half step on the low E string, and flamenco uses it too.
| Note | E | F | G | A | B | C | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | 1 (root) | ♭2 | ♭3 | 4 | 5 | ♭6 | ♭7 |
| Step to the next | half | whole | whole | whole | half | whole | whole |
2 positions to learn it in
Each stretch here is a few frets you can play without moving the hand: the open position, then from the root on the lowest string. Press Play to hear each one, up and back down.
Chords that go with the E Phrygian mode
The chords on each note of the scale that use only its notes. Play over any of them and every note fits; E (Em) is where it sounds at home.
| On the | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| root (E) | Emhome | Em7home |
| ♭2 (F) | Fcolour | Fmaj7colour |
| ♭3 (G) | Gdaylight | G7daylight |
| 4 (A) | Amsoft fall | Am7soft fall |
| 5 (B) | Bdimthe edge | Bm7♭5the edge |
| ♭6 (C) | Ccinematic | Cmaj7cinematic |
| ♭7 (D) | Dmsoft fall | Dm7soft fall |
Scales with the same notes
It has the same notes as the C major scale, started from its third note, E.
Questions
What notes are in the E Phrygian mode?
E, F, G, A, B, C and D. Its intervals from the root are 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7, and the steps between its notes are H W W W H W W (W a whole step, H a half step).
What chords go with the E Phrygian mode?
The chords made only of its notes: Em, F, G, Am, Bdim, C and Dm, and as seventh chords Em7, Fmaj7, G7, Am7, Bm7♭5, Cmaj7 and Dm7. E is home: Em is the chord it sounds most settled over.
The Phrygian mode in every key
Other scales in E
E majorE minorE minor pentatonicE major pentatonicE bluesE DorianE MixolydianE LydianE harmonic minorE melodic minorE Phrygian dominant
Practise it on a sheet of your own in the practice sheet maker, with a metronome and a drone. Every scale: banjo scales. This scale on guitar, bass, ukulele and mandolin.