Phrygian mode in E on ukulele
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 3rd string, fret 4, and the hand stays put in the region, with no position shift.
On the ukulele, the high reentrant G reshuffles the pattern — the scale climbs and falls in compact regions. Its soft nylon strings sound warm and mellow, light enough to float gently over a song.
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, 4 strings. Root (E): string 3, fret 4 and string 2 open.
- String 4 (G): open, G, flat third; fret 2, A, fourth, finger 2; fret 4, B, fifth, finger 4
- String 3 (C): open, C, flat sixth; fret 2, D, flat seventh, finger 2; fret 4, E, root, finger 4
- String 2 (E): open, E, root; fret 1, F, flat second, finger 1; fret 3, G, flat third, finger 3
- String 1 (A): open, A, fourth; fret 2, B, fifth, finger 2; fret 3, C, flat sixth, finger 3
Read the dots by degree: 1 is the tonic (highlighted); the rest follow the scale's formula.