F♯ / G♭ 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 F♯ Phrygian scale has 7 notes: F♯ – G – A – B – C♯ – D – E. 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.

F♯ and G♭ are the same pitch, so this page covers both names; the notes are spelled from F♯, the way the key is usually written. Compared with the F♯ major scale it has ♭2 (G instead of G♯), ♭3 (A instead of A♯), ♭6 (D instead of D♯), ♭7 (E instead of E♯).

The explorer above is set to F♯ 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.

F♯ Phrygian scale notes

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

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

F♯ Phrygian scale positions on the guitar

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

Chords in the F♯ Phrygian scale

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

	i	♭II	♭III	iv	v°	♭VI	♭vii
Triad	F♯m	G	A	Bm	C♯dim	D	Em
7th chord	F♯m7	Gmaj7	A7	Bm7	C♯m7♭5	Dmaj7	Em7

Where you hear it

F♯ 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 F♯ Phrygian

F♯ minor blues F♯ minor rock F♯ minor funk F♯m metal

How to practise it

Play position 1 (frets 2–7) 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 F♯ (1) in each position.
Improvise over a backing track, ending your phrases on F♯.