C 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 C Phrygian scale has 7 notes: C – D♭ – E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B♭. 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 C major scale it has ♭2 (D♭ instead of D), ♭3 (E♭ instead of E), ♭6 (A♭ instead of A), ♭7 (B♭ instead of B).

The explorer above is set to C 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.

C Phrygian scale notes

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

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

C Phrygian scale positions on the guitar

With three notes on every string, C Phrygian has seven patterns that climb the neck. Position 1 starts on C on the low E string at fret 8; 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 8–13	9 11 13	9 11 13	8 10 12	8 10 11	8 10 11	8 9 11
Position 2 frets 9–15	11 13 15	11 13 14	10 12 13	10 11 13	10 11 13	9 11 13
Position 3 frets 11–16	13 15 16	13 14 16	12 13 15	11 13 15	11 13 15	11 13 15
Position 4 frets 13–18	15 16 18	14 16 18	13 15 17	13 15 17	13 15 16	13 15 16
Position 5 frets 15–20	16 18 20	16 18 20	15 17 18	15 17 18	15 16 18	15 16 18
Position 6 frets 16–21	18 20 21	18 20 21	17 18 20	17 18 20	16 18 20	16 18 20
Position 7 frets 6–11	8 9 11	8 9 11	6 8 10	6 8 10	6 8 10	6 8 9

Chords in the C Phrygian scale

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

	i	♭II	♭III	iv	v°	♭VI	♭vii
Triad	Cm	D♭	E♭	Fm	Gdim	A♭	B♭m
7th chord	Cm7	D♭maj7	E♭7	Fm7	Gm7♭5	A♭maj7	B♭m7

Where you hear it

C 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 C Phrygian

C minor blues C minor rock C minor funk Cm Bollywood

How to practise it

Play position 1 (frets 8–13) 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 C (1) in each position.
Improvise over a backing track, ending your phrases on C.