Guitar scale · Phrygian mode
Ab Phrygian Scale
The ♭2 degree delivers distinct Spanish/Flamenco flavor or dark heavy metal tension.
Tap any note to hear it.
How to play Ab Phrygian on guitar
Find the root first: Ab is at fret 4 on the low E string and fret 11 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every Ab on the neck; the gold ones are the other chord tones (3rd, 5th and 7th), which are the safest notes to land on at the end of a phrase.
Learn it one box at a time. Position 1, the E shape, sits at frets 4–8. Once it's under your fingers, move to position 2 (the D shape) and play the notes the two boxes share, then keep going up the neck. After all five, the scale joins up into one pattern across the whole fretboard.
Ab Phrygian uses exactly the same notes as E major; only the home note changes, which is what gives it its sound. See the E Major Scale.
Degrees
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ab |
| ♭2 | A |
| ♭3 | Cb |
| 4 | Db |
| 5 | Eb |
| ♭6 | Fb |
| ♭7 | Gb |
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Questions
- What notes are in the Ab Phrygian Scale?
- The Ab Phrygian Scale has 7 notes: Ab, A, Cb, Db, Eb, Fb, Gb.
- What is the formula of the phrygian scale?
- 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7, which is the step pattern H W W W H W W (W = whole step, H = half step).
- Where do I play Ab Phrygian on the guitar?
- The root Ab is at fret 4 on the low E string and fret 11 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 4–8, and four more positions connect it up the neck.