Chord & FretPhrygian (E)
Phrygian is the 3rd mode of Ionian: the notes of the major scale starting from the third degree. Its signature is the lowered 2nd — the b2 — a half step sitting right above the home note and pulling everything downward; in practice, a dark tension that wants to resolve all the time. The result sounds somber, with an Iberian accent; it turns up in metal, stylized flamenco, film scores and modal settings where mood matters more than resolution.
Example: E – F – G – A – B – C – DFormula: 1 – b2 – b3 – 4 – 5 – b6 – b7In the formula, the numbers are degrees — positions counted in the reference major scale; "b" lowers a half step and "#" raises one.
Family: The seven modes of the major scale.
The diatonic modes share the same pattern of tones and semitones but reorganize the center. To sound modal you have to reinforce the center and the characteristic degree — if the music keeps resolving to C, the ear hears C major, not D Dorian.
Chords in the harmonic field
These are the seven chords born from this scale — one built on each of its notes. Put another way: the set of chords that sounds naturally "inside" the scale. See the harmonic field of every key →
Em7Fmaj7G7Am7Bm7b5Cmaj7Dm7The same scale on all four instruments
In the diagrams, each dot carries its scale degree — 1 is the tonic, highlighted.
One box per instrument is just the doorway into Phrygian. In Chord & Fret, you hear the scale in each of the four instruments' own voices; switch the dot labels between degrees, note names and fingers; and run it up, down or in a full round trip. Start free. Unlock everything with Pro. 100% offline. Open in Chord & Fret →