Mode reference
Phrygian mode
The minor scale with a flattened second · C Phrygian = C – D♭ – E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B♭
Phrygian is the third mode of the major scale, which means C Phrygian uses the notes of A♭ major but treats C as home. Every mode on this page keeps that relationship: the same step pattern, started somewhere new.
The semitone immediately above the tonic gives it a taut, downward-leaning quality. Central to flamenco and to a great deal of metal.
C Phrygian
- C1semi
- D♭2tone
- E♭3tone
- F4tone
- G5semi
- A♭6tone
- B♭7tone
- C8
Every degree
| Degree | Note | Interval from the tonic | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | Unison | 0 |
| 2 | D♭ | Minor second | 1 |
| 3 | E♭ | Minor third | 3 |
| 4 | F | Perfect fourth | 5 |
| 5 | G | Perfect fifth | 7 |
| 6 | A♭ | Minor sixth | 8 |
| 7 | B♭ | Minor seventh | 10 |
Phrygian on every root
Each row is the same step pattern started somewhere new. The last column is the major scale that contains the same notes — useful when you want to find the mode by thinking in a key you already know.
| Tonic | Notes | Same notes as |
|---|---|---|
| C | C – D♭ – E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B♭ | A♭ major |
| D♭ | D♭ – E𝄫 – F♭ – G♭ – A♭ – B𝄫 – C♭ | B𝄫 major |
| D | D – E♭ – F – G – A – B♭ – C | B♭ major |
| E♭ | E♭ – F♭ – G♭ – A♭ – B♭ – C♭ – D♭ | C♭ major |
| E | E – F – G – A – B – C – D | C major |
| F | F – G♭ – A♭ – B♭ – C – D♭ – E♭ | D♭ major |
| F♯ | F♯ – G – A – B – C♯ – D – E | D major |
| G | G – A♭ – B♭ – C – D – E♭ – F | E♭ major |
| A♭ | A♭ – B𝄫 – C♭ – D♭ – E♭ – F♭ – G♭ | F♭ major |
| A | A – B♭ – C – D – E – F – G | F major |
| B♭ | B♭ – C♭ – D♭ – E♭ – F – G♭ – A♭ | G♭ major |
| B | B – C – D – E – F♯ – G – A | G major |
Hearing it rather than spelling it
A mode is only a mode while the music keeps treating its tonic as home. Played over a A♭ bass, C Phrygian is just A♭ major. Played over a C drone, the alterations become unmistakable. That is why modal writing tends to stay on one chord for a long time.