C♯ Phrygian

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

PARENT FAMILY · A MAJ

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

#	Mode	Diatonic chords	Mood
I	A Ionian	Amaj7 – Bm7 – C♯m7 – Dmaj7 – E7 – F♯m7 – G♯m7♭5	Happy, bright, resolved
II	B Dorian	Bm7 – C♯m7 – Dmaj7 – E7 – F♯m7 – G♯m7♭5 – Amaj7	Soulful, minor but with hope
III	C♯ Phrygian	C♯m7 – Dmaj7 – E7 – F♯m7 – G♯m7♭5 – Amaj7 – Bm7	Dark, tense, Spanish/flamenco
IV	D Lydian	Dmaj7 – E7 – F♯m7 – G♯m7♭5 – Amaj7 – Bm7 – C♯m7	Dreamy, floating, ethereal
V	E Mixolydian	E7 – F♯m7 – G♯m7♭5 – Amaj7 – Bm7 – C♯m7 – Dmaj7	Bluesy, dominant, rock
VI	F♯ Aeolian	F♯m7 – G♯m7♭5 – Amaj7 – Bm7 – C♯m7 – Dmaj7 – E7	Melancholic, natural minor
VII	G♯ Locrian	G♯m7♭5 – Amaj7 – Bm7 – C♯m7 – Dmaj7 – E7 – F♯m7	Unstable, tense, dissonant

SCALE · 7 NOTES · 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7

C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A B

Formula: 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7

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

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

DIATONIC 7ths · CHORD PAD

I

C♯m7

II

Dmaj7

III

E7

IV

F♯m7

V

G♯m7♭5

VI

Amaj7

VII

Bm7

▸ Play C♯ Phrygian over C♯m7 and E7 progressions.

FRETBOARD · STANDARD TUNING · 15F● LIVE

CHARACTER · DARK, TENSE, SPANISH/FLAMENCO

DARK, TENSE, SPANISH/FLAMENCO

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

Where to use C♯ 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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