A♯ Phrygian

Dark, tense, Spanish/flamenco — built from F♯ major

PARENT FAMILY · F♯ MAJ

All 7 modes share the same parent scale (F♯ major). A♯ Phrygian is the III mode.

#	Mode	Diatonic chords	Mood
I	F♯ Ionian	F♯maj7 – G♯m7 – A♯m7 – Bmaj7 – C♯7 – D♯m7 – Fm7♭5	Happy, bright, resolved
II	G♯ Dorian	G♯m7 – A♯m7 – Bmaj7 – C♯7 – D♯m7 – Fm7♭5 – F♯maj7	Soulful, minor but with hope
III	A♯ Phrygian	A♯m7 – Bmaj7 – C♯7 – D♯m7 – Fm7♭5 – F♯maj7 – G♯m7	Dark, tense, Spanish/flamenco
IV	B Lydian	Bmaj7 – C♯7 – D♯m7 – Fm7♭5 – F♯maj7 – G♯m7 – A♯m7	Dreamy, floating, ethereal
V	C♯ Mixolydian	C♯7 – D♯m7 – Fm7♭5 – F♯maj7 – G♯m7 – A♯m7 – Bmaj7	Bluesy, dominant, rock
VI	D♯ Aeolian	D♯m7 – Fm7♭5 – F♯maj7 – G♯m7 – A♯m7 – Bmaj7 – C♯7	Melancholic, natural minor
VII	F Locrian	Fm7♭5 – G♭maj7 – A♭m7 – B♭m7 – Bmaj7 – D♭7 – E♭m7	Unstable, tense, dissonant

SCALE · 7 NOTES · 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7

A♯ B C♯ D♯ F F♯ G♯

Formula: 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7

The Phrygian scale on A♯ contains the notes A♯, B, C♯, D♯, F, F♯, G♯. The pentatonic subset is A♯, C♯, D♯, F, G♯.

Characteristic note: the ♭2 (flat second) creates its dark, Spanish-sounding tension.

DIATONIC 7ths · CHORD PAD

I

A♯m7

II

Bmaj7

III

C♯7

IV

D♯m7

V

Fm7♭5

VI

F♯maj7

VII

G♯m7

▸ Play A♯ Phrygian over A♯m7 and C♯7 progressions.

FRETBOARD · STANDARD TUNING · 15F● LIVE

CHARACTER · DARK, TENSE, SPANISH/FLAMENCO

DARK, TENSE, SPANISH/FLAMENCO

A♯ Phrygian is a minor mode with a dark, tense, spanish/flamenco character. It is the III mode of F♯ major — it uses the same 7 notes as F♯ Ionian but is rooted on A♯, which shifts the harmonic focus and creates a completely different sound. The tonic chord is A♯m7.

Where to use A♯ Phrygian

Metal, flamenco, film scores.

Famous examples

White Zombie riffs
flamenco progressions

What makes it distinctive: the ♭2 (flat second) creates its dark, Spanish-sounding tension.

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