B♭ Phrygian Scale

B♭ phrygian

Notes

B♭ · C♭ · D♭ · E♭ · F · G♭ · A♭

Intervals

  • RootB♭ (1P)
  • Minor 2ndC♭ (2m)
  • Minor 3rdD♭ (3m)
  • Perfect 4thE♭ (4P)
  • Perfect 5thF (5P)
  • Minor 6thG♭ (6m)
  • Minor 7thA♭ (7m)

Fretboard

EBGDAE357912FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭BA♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭

On the fretboard, B represents C♭.

Open in visualizer →

Adjust labels, frets, and palette in the interactive view.

Modal character

B♭ Phrygian is the 3rd mode of F♯ Major — the same seven notes started from its 3rd degree.

1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7

Characteristic note — flat 2nd (♭2). The ♭2 a half-step above the root gives Phrygian its dark, Spanish color — the defining sound of flamenco and a lot of metal.

Phrygian sits over minor 7th voicings and minor vamps. In functional harmony it is the mode of the iii chord; raise its 3rd and you get the Phrygian dominant heard over the V chord in minor keys.

Chords that use this mode

3-Notes-Per-String positions

Seven movable patterns, each covering all 6 strings with 3 consecutive scale tones per string. Root notes are shown in red.

All 7 patterns
Pattern 1frets 1–6
EBGDAE357FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭
Pattern 2frets 2–7
EBGDAE357G♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭B
Pattern 3frets 4–9
EBGDAE579A♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭
Pattern 4frets 6–11
EBGDAE7912B♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭
Pattern 5frets 7–13
EBGDAE79121314BD♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭F
Pattern 6frets 9–14
EBGDAE912131415D♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭
Pattern 7frets 11–16
EBGDAE121314151617E♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭B♭BD♭E♭FG♭A♭

Quartal voicings

Stacked perfect 4ths across four adjacent strings, sorted nut to heel. Root notes are circled in red.

All voicings
EBGDAE3FB♭E♭A♭
F root
EBGDAE3B♭E♭A♭D♭
Bb root
EBGDAE3E♭A♭D♭G♭
Eb root
EBGDAE57A♭D♭G♭B
Ab root
EBGDAE79E♭A♭D♭G♭
Eb root
EBGDAE35FB♭E♭A♭
F root
EBGDAE79B♭E♭A♭D♭
Bb root
EBGDAE9FB♭E♭A♭
F root
EBGDAE79A♭D♭G♭B
Ab root
EBGDAE121314E♭A♭D♭G♭
Eb root
EBGDAE121314A♭D♭G♭B
Ab root
EBGDAE9B♭E♭A♭D♭
Bb root

Diagrams

Bb Phrygian Scale fretboard charts — tap any diagram to open it full size to save or print.

Bb Phrygian Scale — notes Bb, Cb, Db, Eb, F, Gb, Ab shown across the full guitar fretboard, frets 0 to 12.
Whole neck — frets 0–12
Bb Phrygian Scale — seven 3-notes-per-string positions shown as fretboard neck slices.
Seven 3NPS positions
Bb Phrygian Scale — quartal voicings shown as chord-box diagrams for all four roots.
Quartal voicings — 3 string sets, sorted nut to heel