D♯ Phrygian

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

PARENT FAMILY · B MAJ

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

#	Mode	Diatonic chords	Mood
I	B Ionian	Bmaj7 – C♯m7 – D♯m7 – Emaj7 – F♯7 – G♯m7 – A♯m7♭5	Happy, bright, resolved
II	C♯ Dorian	C♯m7 – D♯m7 – Emaj7 – F♯7 – G♯m7 – A♯m7♭5 – Bmaj7	Soulful, minor but with hope
III	D♯ Phrygian	D♯m7 – Emaj7 – F♯7 – G♯m7 – A♯m7♭5 – Bmaj7 – C♯m7	Dark, tense, Spanish/flamenco
IV	E Lydian	Emaj7 – F♯7 – G♯m7 – A♯m7♭5 – Bmaj7 – C♯m7 – D♯m7	Dreamy, floating, ethereal
V	F♯ Mixolydian	F♯7 – G♯m7 – A♯m7♭5 – Bmaj7 – C♯m7 – D♯m7 – Emaj7	Bluesy, dominant, rock
VI	G♯ Aeolian	G♯m7 – A♯m7♭5 – Bmaj7 – C♯m7 – D♯m7 – Emaj7 – F♯7	Melancholic, natural minor
VII	A♯ Locrian	A♯m7♭5 – Bmaj7 – C♯m7 – D♯m7 – Emaj7 – F♯7 – G♯m7	Unstable, tense, dissonant

SCALE · 7 NOTES · 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7

D♯ E F♯ G♯ A♯ B C♯

Formula: 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7

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

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

DIATONIC 7ths · CHORD PAD

I

D♯m7

II

Emaj7

III

F♯7

IV

G♯m7

V

A♯m7♭5

VI

Bmaj7

VII

C♯m7

▸ Play D♯ Phrygian over D♯m7 and F♯7 progressions.

FRETBOARD · STANDARD TUNING · 15F● LIVE

CHARACTER · DARK, TENSE, SPANISH/FLAMENCO

DARK, TENSE, SPANISH/FLAMENCO

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

Where to use D♯ 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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