G Phrygian mode on guitar
The G Phrygian mode has seven notes: G, A♭, B♭, C, D, E♭ and F (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 | G | A♭ | B♭ | C | D | E♭ | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 G Phrygian mode
The chords on each note of the scale that use only its notes. Play over any of them and every note fits; G (Gm) is where it sounds at home.
| On the | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| root (G) | Gmhome | Gm7home |
| ♭2 (A♭) | A♭colour | A♭maj7colour |
| ♭3 (B♭) | B♭daylight | B♭7daylight |
| 4 (C) | Cmsoft fall | Cm7soft fall |
| 5 (D) | Ddimthe edge | Dm7♭5the edge |
| ♭6 (E♭) | E♭cinematic | E♭maj7cinematic |
| ♭7 (F) | Fmsoft fall | Fm7soft fall |
Scales with the same notes
It has the same notes as the E♭ major scale, started from its third note, G.
Questions
What notes are in the G Phrygian mode?
G, A♭, B♭, C, D, E♭ and F. 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 G Phrygian mode?
The chords made only of its notes: Gm, A♭, B♭, Cm, Ddim, E♭ and Fm, and as seventh chords Gm7, A♭maj7, B♭7, Cm7, Dm7♭5, E♭maj7 and Fm7. G is home: Gm is the chord it sounds most settled over.
The Phrygian mode in every key
Other scales in G
G majorG minorG minor pentatonicG major pentatonicG bluesG DorianG MixolydianG LydianG harmonic minorG melodic minorG 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.