Phrygian mode in E on guitar
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, in the CAGED E form; the lowest tonic sits on the 6th string, open, and the hand stays put in the region, with no position shift.
On the guitar, six strings open the scale into wide shapes — there is room to choose the region of the neck that sings best. Its hollow wooden body gives every chord a warm, natural ring that blooms and fades on its own.
Practice it tonic to tonic: hearing degree 1 at both ends anchors the scale's sound.
Text description
Open strings and frets 1 to 4, 6 strings. Root (E): string 6 open, string 4, fret 2 and string 1 open.
- String 6 (E): open, E, root; fret 1, F, flat second, finger 1; fret 3, G, flat third, finger 3
- String 5 (A): open, A, fourth; fret 2, B, fifth, finger 2; fret 3, C, flat sixth, finger 3
- 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 (E): open, E, root; fret 1, F, flat second, finger 1; fret 3, G, flat third, finger 3
Read the dots by degree: 1 is the tonic (highlighted); the rest follow the scale's formula.