D Phrygian mode on guitar
The D Phrygian mode has seven notes: D, E♭, F, G, A, B♭ and C (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 | D | E♭ | F | G | A | B♭ | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | 1 (root) | ♭2 | ♭3 | 4 | 5 | ♭6 | ♭7 |
| Step to the next | half | whole | whole | whole | half | whole | whole |
5 positions to learn it in
On guitar a seven-note scale is learnt in five shapes, each built round one of the open chord shapes C, A, G, E and D. Together they cover the neck. Press Play to hear each one, up and back down.
Chords that go with the D Phrygian mode
The chords on each note of the scale that use only its notes. Play over any of them and every note fits; D (Dm) is where it sounds at home.
| On the | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| root (D) | Dmhome | Dm7home |
| ♭2 (E♭) | E♭colour | E♭maj7colour |
| ♭3 (F) | Fdaylight | F7daylight |
| 4 (G) | Gmsoft fall | Gm7soft fall |
| 5 (A) | Adimthe edge | Am7♭5the edge |
| ♭6 (B♭) | B♭cinematic | B♭maj7cinematic |
| ♭7 (C) | Cmsoft fall | Cm7soft fall |
Scales with the same notes
It has the same notes as the B♭ major scale, started from its third note, D.
Questions
What notes are in the D Phrygian mode?
D, E♭, F, G, A, B♭ and C. 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 D Phrygian mode?
The chords made only of its notes: Dm, E♭, F, Gm, Adim, B♭ and Cm, and as seventh chords Dm7, E♭maj7, F7, Gm7, Am7♭5, B♭maj7 and Cm7. D is home: Dm is the chord it sounds most settled over.
The Phrygian mode in every key
Other scales in D
D majorD minorD minor pentatonicD major pentatonicD bluesD DorianD MixolydianD LydianD harmonic minorD melodic minorD Phrygian dominant
Practise it on a sheet of your own in the practice sheet maker, with a metronome and a drone. Every scale: guitar scales. This scale on bass, ukulele, mandolin and banjo.