Phrygian mode in E on cavaquinho
Phrygian mode in E: E, F, G, A, B, C and D, the degrees 1–b2–b3–4–5–b6–b7. The box shown is in open position, from the open strings up to fret 4; the lowest tonic sits on the 4th string, fret 2, and the hand stays put in the region, with no position shift.
On the cavaquinho, four steel strings pack the scale into a short, bright space — there is nowhere for a note to hide. Its four steel strings give a bright, sharp attack that cuts through the mix and drives the beat.
Once the shape is memorized, play the box in thirds: the real memory test.
Text description
Open strings and frets 1 to 4, 4 strings. Root (E): string 4, fret 2 and string 1, fret 2.
- String 4 (D): open, D, flat seventh; fret 2, E, root, finger 2; fret 3, F, flat second, finger 3
- String 3 (G): open, G, flat third; fret 2, A, fourth, finger 2; fret 4, B, fifth, finger 4
- String 2 (B): open, B, fifth; fret 1, C, flat sixth, finger 1; fret 3, D, flat seventh, finger 3
- String 1 (D): open, D, flat seventh; fret 2, E, root, finger 2; fret 3, F, flat second, finger 3
Read the dots by degree: 1 is the tonic (highlighted); the rest follow the scale's formula.