Learning Guitar Scales

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Phrygian mode is the 3rd mode of any major scale, it is a very used mode especially in heavy metal, rock and even jazz. The Phrygian mode among all modes for guitar sounds very exotic and heavy and it's played in most cases along minor and minor 7th chords.

All modes for guitar are just variations of the major scale (The Ionian mode), so all you have to do is to learn and practice the major scale and each time you start from other notes than the first note to play all the modes for guitar.

The Phrygian mode is very unique among other modes, it begins with a half step interval, and here is the whole and half step formula for the Phrygian mode: (H - W - W - W - H - W - W). The Phrygian mode is the same as the Aeolian mode (natural minor scale) but with a b2nd. If you want to know what is the major scale of the Phrygian mode you are playing, you just move back 2 whole step or 4 half steps: If you are playing the B Phrygian mode, then its major scale is G major scale.


Major scale   G - A - B - C - D - E - F# - G

The third mode (Phrygian mode), we begin the mode with the third note B

E---------------------------------------------------------------
B---------------------------------------------------------------
G---------------------------------------------------------------
D-----------------------------------------7---9----------------
A-------------------------7---9---10-------------------------
E---------7---8---10-----------------------------------------

Learning guitar scales and modes is necessary if you want to be a better guitar player, modes for guitar are very important in music so you should learn them all and learn where they are used. With this knowledge and some tips for songwriting, you'll become a great songwriter.

See also: All Modes For Guitar


1- The Ionian mode "The major scale" (The first mode).
2- The Dorian mode (The 2nd mode).
3- The Phrygian mode (The 3rd mode).
4- The Lydian mode (The 4th mode).
5- The Mixolydian mode (The 5th mode).
6- The Aeolian mode "The natural minor scale" (The 6th mode).
7- The Locrian mode (The 7th mode).