E Phrygian

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

PARENT FAMILY · C MAJ

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

#	Mode	Diatonic chords	Mood
I	C Ionian	Cmaj7 – Dm7 – Em7 – Fmaj7 – G7 – Am7 – Bm7♭5	Happy, bright, resolved
II	D Dorian	Dm7 – Em7 – Fmaj7 – G7 – Am7 – Bm7♭5 – Cmaj7	Soulful, minor but with hope
III	E Phrygian	Em7 – Fmaj7 – G7 – Am7 – Bm7♭5 – Cmaj7 – Dm7	Dark, tense, Spanish/flamenco
IV	F Lydian	Fmaj7 – G7 – Am7 – Bm7♭5 – Cmaj7 – Dm7 – Em7	Dreamy, floating, ethereal
V	G Mixolydian	G7 – Am7 – Bm7♭5 – Cmaj7 – Dm7 – Em7 – Fmaj7	Bluesy, dominant, rock
VI	A Aeolian	Am7 – Bm7♭5 – Cmaj7 – Dm7 – Em7 – Fmaj7 – G7	Melancholic, natural minor
VII	B Locrian	Bm7♭5 – Cmaj7 – Dm7 – Em7 – Fmaj7 – G7 – Am7	Unstable, tense, dissonant

SCALE · 7 NOTES · 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7

E F G A B C D

Formula: 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7

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

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

DIATONIC 7ths · CHORD PAD

I

Em7

II

Fmaj7

III

G7

IV

Am7

V

Bm7♭5

VI

Cmaj7

VII

Dm7

▸ Play E Phrygian over Em7 and G7 progressions.

FRETBOARD · STANDARD TUNING · 15F● LIVE

CHARACTER · DARK, TENSE, SPANISH/FLAMENCO

DARK, TENSE, SPANISH/FLAMENCO

E Phrygian is a minor mode with a dark, tense, spanish/flamenco character. It is the III mode of C major — it uses the same 7 notes as C Ionian but is rooted on E, which shifts the harmonic focus and creates a completely different sound. The tonic chord is Em7.

Where to use E 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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