B Phrygian Scale

72 scales in every key on a map of the whole neck: positions, patterns, and every note played as it lights up.

The B Phrygian scale has 7 notes: B – C – D – E – F♯ – G – A. Phrygian is a minor scale with a ♭2, one fret above the root. That dark half step gives it a Spanish, heavy feel. In Indian music it is Bhairavi thaat.

Compared with the B major scale it has ♭2 (C instead of C♯), ♭3 (D instead of D♯), ♭6 (G instead of G♯), ♭7 (A instead of A♯).

The explorer above is set to B Phrygian: the whole neck is mapped, and you can zoom into any of its 7 positions, change the labels to degrees or fingers, and hear it up, down and in patterns.

B Phrygian scale notes

Degree	Note	Interval from B	Frets above the root	Sargam
1	B	R	0	S
♭2	C	m2	1	r
♭3	D	m3	3	g
4	E	P4	5	M
5	F♯	P5	7	P
♭6	G	m6	8	d
♭7	A	m7	10	n

Steps between the notes: H W W W H W W (W = two frets, H = one fret). Start on any B and follow those steps up one string to play the scale.

B Phrygian scale positions on the guitar

With three notes on every string, B Phrygian has seven patterns that climb the neck. Position 1 starts on B on the low E string at fret 7; each next position starts on the next note of the scale. In standard tuning, high string first:

Position	E (1st)	B	G	D	A	E (6th)
Position 1 frets 7–12	8 10 12	8 10 12	7 9 11	7 9 10	7 9 10	7 8 10
Position 2 frets 8–14	10 12 14	10 12 13	9 11 12	9 10 12	9 10 12	8 10 12
Position 3 frets 10–15	12 14 15	12 13 15	11 12 14	10 12 14	10 12 14	10 12 14
Position 4 frets 12–17	14 15 17	13 15 17	12 14 16	12 14 16	12 14 15	12 14 15
Position 5 frets 14–19	15 17 19	15 17 19	14 16 17	14 16 17	14 15 17	14 15 17
Position 6 frets 15–20	17 19 20	17 19 20	16 17 19	16 17 19	15 17 19	15 17 19
Position 7 frets 17–22	19 20 22	19 20 22	17 19 21	17 19 21	17 19 21	17 19 20

Chords in the B Phrygian scale

Stacking every other note of the scale on each degree gives these chords. They are the chords a song in B Phrygian is made from, and the chords this scale fits over.

	i	♭II	♭III	iv	v°	♭VI	♭vii
Triad	Bm	C	D	Em	F♯dim	G	Am
7th chord	Bm7	Cmaj7	D7	Em7	F♯m7♭5	Gmaj7	Am7

Where you hear it

B Phrygian is used in metal, flamenco and film music. It sounds best over minor chords, and a i – ♭II chord change.

Backing tracks to practise B Phrygian

B minor blues B minor rock B minor funk Bm metal Bm Bollywood

How to practise it

Play position 1 (frets 7–12) slowly, up and down, saying the note names.
Play it with the pattern set to In 3s, then In 4s, at a tempo where every note is clean.
Learn position 2 and how it joins position 1: the notes they share are where your hand moves.
Switch the labels to degrees and find every B (1) in each position.
Improvise over a backing track, ending your phrases on B.