A Phrygian mode on bass
The A Phrygian mode has seven notes: A, B♭, C, D, E, F and G (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 | A | B♭ | C | D | E | F | G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | 1 (root) | ♭2 | ♭3 | 4 | 5 | ♭6 | ♭7 |
| Step to the next | half | whole | whole | whole | half | whole | whole |
7 positions to learn it in
Played three notes on every string, the A Phrygian mode has a position starting on each of its notes. They are good for speed, with the same picking pattern on every string. Press Play to hear each one, up and back down.
Chords that go with the A Phrygian mode
The chords on each note of the scale that use only its notes. Play over any of them and every note fits; A (Am) is where it sounds at home.
| On the | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| root (A) | Amhome | Am7home |
| ♭2 (B♭) | B♭colour | B♭maj7colour |
| ♭3 (C) | Cdaylight | C7daylight |
| 4 (D) | Dmsoft fall | Dm7soft fall |
| 5 (E) | Edimthe edge | Em7♭5the edge |
| ♭6 (F) | Fcinematic | Fmaj7cinematic |
| ♭7 (G) | Gmsoft fall | Gm7soft fall |
Scales with the same notes
It has the same notes as the F major scale, started from its third note, A.
Questions
What notes are in the A Phrygian mode?
A, B♭, C, D, E, F and G. 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 A Phrygian mode?
The chords made only of its notes: Am, B♭, C, Dm, Edim, F and Gm, and as seventh chords Am7, B♭maj7, C7, Dm7, Em7♭5, Fmaj7 and Gm7. A is home: Am is the chord it sounds most settled over.
The Phrygian mode in every key
Other scales in A
A majorA minorA minor pentatonicA major pentatonicA bluesA DorianA MixolydianA LydianA harmonic minorA melodic minorA Phrygian dominant
Practise it on a sheet of your own in the practice sheet maker, with a metronome and a drone. Every scale: bass scales. This scale on guitar, ukulele, mandolin and banjo.