B Phrygian mode on mandolin
The B Phrygian mode has seven notes: B, C, D, E, F♯, G and A (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 | B | C | D | E | F♯ | G | A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | 1 (root) | ♭2 | ♭3 | 4 | 5 | ♭6 | ♭7 |
| Step to the next | half | whole | whole | whole | half | whole | whole |
3 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 B Phrygian mode
The chords on each note of the scale that use only its notes. Play over any of them and every note fits; B (Bm) is where it sounds at home.
| On the | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| root (B) | Bmhome | Bm7home |
| ♭2 (C) | Ccolour | Cmaj7colour |
| ♭3 (D) | Ddaylight | D7daylight |
| 4 (E) | Emsoft fall | Em7soft fall |
| 5 (F♯) | F♯dimthe edge | F♯m7♭5the edge |
| ♭6 (G) | Gcinematic | Gmaj7cinematic |
| ♭7 (A) | Amsoft fall | Am7soft fall |
Scales with the same notes
It has the same notes as the G major scale, started from its third note, B.
Questions
What notes are in the B Phrygian mode?
B, C, D, E, F♯, G and A. 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 B Phrygian mode?
The chords made only of its notes: Bm, C, D, Em, F♯dim, G and Am, and as seventh chords Bm7, Cmaj7, D7, Em7, F♯m7♭5, Gmaj7 and Am7. B is home: Bm is the chord it sounds most settled over.
The Phrygian mode in every key
Other scales in B
B majorB minorB minor pentatonicB major pentatonicB bluesB DorianB MixolydianB LydianB harmonic minorB melodic minorB Phrygian dominant
Practise it on a sheet of your own in the practice sheet maker, with a metronome and a drone. Every scale: mandolin scales. This scale on guitar, bass, ukulele and banjo.