B Phrygian

Dark, tense, Spanish/flamenco — built from G major

PARENT FAMILY · G MAJ

All 7 modes share the same parent scale (G major). B Phrygian is the III mode.

#	Mode	Diatonic chords	Mood
I	G Ionian	Gmaj7 – Am7 – Bm7 – Cmaj7 – D7 – Em7 – F♯m7♭5	Happy, bright, resolved
II	A Dorian	Am7 – Bm7 – Cmaj7 – D7 – Em7 – F♯m7♭5 – Gmaj7	Soulful, minor but with hope
III	B Phrygian	Bm7 – Cmaj7 – D7 – Em7 – F♯m7♭5 – Gmaj7 – Am7	Dark, tense, Spanish/flamenco
IV	C Lydian	Cmaj7 – D7 – Em7 – F♯m7♭5 – Gmaj7 – Am7 – Bm7	Dreamy, floating, ethereal
V	D Mixolydian	D7 – Em7 – F♯m7♭5 – Gmaj7 – Am7 – Bm7 – Cmaj7	Bluesy, dominant, rock
VI	E Aeolian	Em7 – F♯m7♭5 – Gmaj7 – Am7 – Bm7 – Cmaj7 – D7	Melancholic, natural minor
VII	F♯ Locrian	F♯m7♭5 – Gmaj7 – Am7 – Bm7 – Cmaj7 – D7 – Em7	Unstable, tense, dissonant

SCALE · 7 NOTES · 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7

B C D E F♯ G A

Formula: 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7

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

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

DIATONIC 7ths · CHORD PAD

I

Bm7

II

Cmaj7

III

D7

IV

Em7

V

F♯m7♭5

VI

Gmaj7

VII

Am7

▸ Play B Phrygian over Bm7 and D7 progressions.

FRETBOARD · STANDARD TUNING · 15F● LIVE

CHARACTER · DARK, TENSE, SPANISH/FLAMENCO

DARK, TENSE, SPANISH/FLAMENCO

B Phrygian is a minor mode with a dark, tense, spanish/flamenco character. It is the III mode of G major — it uses the same 7 notes as G Ionian but is rooted on B, which shifts the harmonic focus and creates a completely different sound. The tonic chord is Bm7.

Where to use B 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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