The Phrygian Mode

I’ve done a lesson on modes in the past, but now I’d like to explore each mode individually and in more detail. Over the course of the next 7 weeks I’ll be going over each mode. I’ll also give you some chords that can work over each mode.

This week I’ll start with the Phrygian mode. This mode has a bit of a darker type tonality. The reason for this is due to the flat intervals. A Phrygian mode will consist of a root, a b2, b3, 4, 5, b6, and a b7. Essentially, one could view the Phrygian mode as a modified natural minor (also known as an Aeolian mode). You have the same intervals with the addition of a flatted 2nd. It sounds similar to the Aeolian, but you have a different tonality coming in with that b2. However, since the 4th and 5th degrees are left unaltered, you don’t have any issues with the mode sounding really dissonant. This makes it a bit easier to use effectively. Unlike a Locrian mode which can be tricky to work with since it includes a flat 5th.

So let’s get into this. Let’s use A Phrygian for this. You can move the mode up or down fairly easily from here, just move the notes up a step for B or down a step to G and on from there.

The notes for A Phrygian would be A Bb C D E F G A

Now here is the mode in both a tab format and a note format for you.

|-0-1---3-5-6---8---10----12-13----15-17-18----20----22----24-|
|---1---3-5-6---8---10-11----13----15-17-18----20----22-23----|
|-0---2-3-5---7---9-10----12----14-15-17----19----21-22----24-|
|-0---2-3-5---7-8---10----12----14-15-17----19-20----22----24-|
|-0-1---3-5---7-8---10----12-13----15-17----19-20----22----24-|
|-0-1---3-5-6---8---10----12-13----15-17-18----20----22----24-|

|-E-F----G--A-Bb---C----D----E-
|---C----D--E-F----G----A-Bb---
|-G----A-Bb-C----D----E-F----G-
|-D----E-F--G----A-Bb---C----D-
|-A-Bb---C--D----E-F----G----A-
|-E-F----G--A-Bb---C----D----E-
  0      3  5    7    9      12

Now one thing I notice with some students learning modes and scales is that they get to know the 3 string grouping or the 2 octave run and leave it at that. That kind of limits your knowledge of the mode. Sure, you know the notes but what good is playing in one position going to do? I take a different approach to this. I teach the usual way first, just the one or two octave scales in one position. Once they understand the sound the mode gives and the relation of the notes to each other, I expand the mode. By that, I mean I move the mode all over the neck. Usually, I do this by string skipping, displacing the octaves, or simply just moving up the neck using different intervals on the way up.

For example, here are the usual one and two octave runs, both in A Phrygian.

The one octave                  Another one octave run a bit lower
|-----------1-3-5-3-1-----------|-------------------------------|
|-----1-3-5-----------5-3-1-----|-------------------------------|
|-2-3-----------------------3-2-|-------------------------------|
|-------------------------------|-----------3-5-7-5-3-----------|
|-------------------------------|-----3-5-7-----------7-5-3-----|
|-------------------------------|-5-6-----------------------6-5-|

Two octaves
|--------------------------------
|-------------------------6-8-10-
|-------------------5-7-9--------
|-----------3-5-7-8--------------
|-----3-5-7----------------------
|-5-6----------------------------

Now here is an example of what I’m talking about

Moving up the neck
|-----------------------|
|--------11-13-15-------|
|---9-10----------12-14-|
|-7---------------------|
|-----------------------|
|-----------------------|

Now here’s one with string skipping
|----------------------
|--------15-17---------
|-------------------14-
|---8-10---------------
|--------------8-10----
|-5--------------------

By doing it slightly differently, they can have a better understanding of how notes fall on the fretboard instead of just learning just one area.

One other note about doing it another way, it’s a little harder to keep a solid rhythm going. When you stay in one position, your brain doesn’t have to work as hard. You can keep to solid quarter notes. Now, when you try to play that same mode in a different areas, you’re making your brain do two things at once since you’re not just playing something easily done, or something that’s been done so much you can do it without really thinking. So not only do you react to note changes in different areas, you have to sort out how to play them too. That’s where the rhythmic discrepancies arise. It’s best to learn it slow and gradually speed it up, my usual rule is to play it as fast as you can while keeping a steady rhythm. If you hang up on a note somewhere, slow it down a bit and have another go.

Now, here are some examples to get a feel for how it sounds and what it’s capable of doing.

For the tab legend:
X = fret hand mute
H = hammer on
P = pull off
~ = sustain note
\ = slide down
/ = slide up

And for note value
E = eighth note
Q = quarter note
H = half note
W = whole note

Example 1 is a 6 measure 3 note grouping descending into a basic riff in 4/4. This example uses A Phrygian and sounds better when using some overdrive or distortion.

|-13-12-10---|-----------|---------|-------|--1-------|-----
|------------|-----------|---------|-----3~|~---------|-----
|----------9-|-10-12-----|---------|-----2~|~---2h3-5-|-7~~~
|------------|-----------|---------|-5-x-0~|~-------5-|-7~~~
|------------|-------5-7-|-8-8-x-x-|-3-x---|~---------|-----
|------------|-----------|---6-x-x-|-------|----------|-----
  Q  Q  Q  Q   Q  Q  Q Q   Q H E E   H Q Q  Q Q E E Q   W

The reason for the D5 starting as a quarter note in measure 4 when it sustains for two beats is so the measure will add to 4. If left as a half, that measure would contain 5 beats. While technically it is a half note, the 4 beat limit dictates that it be a quarter note to that measure. It really becomes two tied quarter notes.

Example 2 is using D Phrygian. It’s basically just a run based on a Dm chord (using a few different scale degrees for flavor) and a Gm chord. This is actually a piece I’m currently working on for a song. It’s not too complex, but it showcases the darker tonality of this mode. This is best played clean.

|----------------------------------3---------------------------
|-------6h8p6~-----------------------3---3---------------------
|---7---------7p5~-5h7~----------------3---3---3---------------
|-7---7-----------------5-3------------------5---5---5---------
|---------------------------3-3h5~-----------------5---5-------
|--------------------------------------------------------3-1h3-
  Dm                               Gm

Example 3 is just a riff in G Phrygian. I use alternate picking for the faster palm muted notes, but straight down picking can work too. Whatever works best for you. Try this with distortion and a faster tempo.

|------------------------------------------------3~-
|---------------------------------------------------
|-------------------------------------5~-x-3~-0~----
|-------------------------------------5~-x-3~-0~----
|-5-------------8-------------10\-x-5---------------
|-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-6-6-6-6-6-6-6--8\-x-3------------3~-
    P.m.-------   P.m.-------

Example 4 is a little lead part in C Phrygian. It’s not the best thing I’ve ever come up with, but it’s an insight as to what this mode can offer a lead part.

|----------------------------------------------------------------
|-13--13--9-11---9-----8---8-------------------------------------
|-15b-15b------8---10-10b-10b-8-5---5-8-5---5-8p5---8p5---10-13b-
|---------------------------------8-------8-------8-----8--------
|----------------------------------------------------------------
|----------------------------------------------------------------

|-----------------------------------------
|-16p13-----------------------------------
|-------15-15/17-17p15--------------------
|----------------------17p15--------------
|----------------------------15-13--------
|----------------------------------6-6h8~-

I’d like to end this with some chords that go well with the Phrygian mode. Let’s say we’re using C Phrygian.

C
 Cm
 Cm7
 Csus4

C#
 C#
 C#maj7
 C#add9
 C#sus2
 C#maj9

D#
 D#
 D#7
 D#add9
 D#sus2
 D#sus4

F
 Fm
 Fm7
 Fsus2
 Fsus4

G
 Gdim

G#
 G#
 G#maj7
 G#add9
 G#sus2
 G#sus4
 G#maj9

A#
 A#m
 A#m7
 A#sus2
 A#sus4

Next week, we’ll take a look at the Aeolian mode. I’ll go a bit more into lead and rhythm work within that mode. See you all next week.