What Is the Phrygian Mode?
The Phrygian mode is one of the seven traditional musical modes, known for its dark, exotic, and tense character. It’s a minor mode with a distinct flavor, most recognizable by its half-step between the first and second degrees—a defining feature that sets it apart from other minor scales.
To visualize it, start on the note E and play only the white keys on the piano up to the next E:
E – F – G – A – B – C – D – E
All other Phrygian Modes are made up of the same intervals between consecutive notes in the scale.
Where Do You Typically Hear the Phrygian Mode?
The Phrygian mode appears in a wide range of musical genres, often used to evoke a sense of mystery, tension, or cultural color. In modern music, it’s particularly popular in metal and hard rock, where its dark and dissonant character enhances the aggressive sound of distorted guitars. Bands like Metallica, Slayer, and others have used Phrygian-based riffs to add intensity and weight to their music.
In flamenco music, the Phrygian mode (and especially its variation known as the Phrygian dominant) plays a central role. The mode’s half-step between the first and second scale degrees adds an unmistakable Spanish flair that defines much of the genre’s harmonic language. Flamenco guitarists often use this mode to create passionate and expressive melodies.
Beyond Western music, the Phrygian mode shares similarities with Middle Eastern and North African musical systems, making it a popular choice for composers seeking to evoke non-Western or ancient atmospheres. It frequently appears in film scores and video game soundtracks, especially in scenes meant to convey suspense, exotic settings, or spiritual overtones.
Overall, the Phrygian mode’s distinctive sound finds its way to music that are more intense and evocative.
How to Build the Phrygian Mode
Method 1: Making Use of the Intervals Between Consecutive Notes
The same type of scales have the same interval between consecutive notes. The Phrygian mode follows this pattern of whole steps (W) and half steps (H) between consecutive notes. The Phrygian mode follows this sequence:
H – W – W – W – H – W – W
In other words, the 1st and 2nd degree, and the 5th to 6th degree of the scale are half- step apart, while all other consecutive notes are a whole step apart.
Method 2: Making Use of Major Scales
We can form a Phrygian Mode by starting with the 3rd degree of the major scale, and ending with the 3rd degree an octave higher.
For example, to form the E Phrygian Mode, we’ll make use of the C Major scale, and start on the 3rd degree. This will give us:
E- F- G- A- B- C- D- E
Method 3: Making Use of Natural Minor Scales
To form a Phrygian Mode, we can use the natural minor scale, and lower the 2nd degree of the minor scale by half a step.
For example, here are the notes in E Natural Minor Scale: E – F#- G- A- B- C- D- E
The 2nd degree of E Natural Minor scale is F#. Lowering F# by half a step gives us F. Hence, here’s E Phrygian:
E- F- G- A- B- C- D- E
Phrygian Scales
Try creating the Phrygian scale starting on each note e.g. E, F, F#, etc. You can check your answers here. https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2630520897/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/transparent=true/
Listen to Music in all 7 modes:
Listen to Hot Cross Bun in all 7 different modes. Feel the mood when Hot Cross Bun is played in E Phrygian.
What’s Next
Now that you’ve learned about the Phrygian mode, try practicing Phrygian scales, or experiment with writing music that incorporates its haunting and mysterious character.
Also, listen to the Phrygian scales to have a feel of how they sound like: