F♯ Phrygian

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

PARENT FAMILY · D MAJ

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

#	Mode	Diatonic chords	Mood
I	D Ionian	Dmaj7 – Em7 – F♯m7 – Gmaj7 – A7 – Bm7 – C♯m7♭5	Happy, bright, resolved
II	E Dorian	Em7 – F♯m7 – Gmaj7 – A7 – Bm7 – C♯m7♭5 – Dmaj7	Soulful, minor but with hope
III	F♯ Phrygian	F♯m7 – Gmaj7 – A7 – Bm7 – C♯m7♭5 – Dmaj7 – Em7	Dark, tense, Spanish/flamenco
IV	G Lydian	Gmaj7 – A7 – Bm7 – C♯m7♭5 – Dmaj7 – Em7 – F♯m7	Dreamy, floating, ethereal
V	A Mixolydian	A7 – Bm7 – C♯m7♭5 – Dmaj7 – Em7 – F♯m7 – Gmaj7	Bluesy, dominant, rock
VI	B Aeolian	Bm7 – C♯m7♭5 – Dmaj7 – Em7 – F♯m7 – Gmaj7 – A7	Melancholic, natural minor
VII	C♯ Locrian	C♯m7♭5 – Dmaj7 – Em7 – F♯m7 – Gmaj7 – A7 – Bm7	Unstable, tense, dissonant

SCALE · 7 NOTES · 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7

F♯ G A B C♯ D E

Formula: 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7

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

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

DIATONIC 7ths · CHORD PAD

I

F♯m7

II

Gmaj7

III

A7

IV

Bm7

V

C♯m7♭5

VI

Dmaj7

VII

Em7

▸ Play F♯ Phrygian over F♯m7 and A7 progressions.

FRETBOARD · STANDARD TUNING · 15F● LIVE

CHARACTER · DARK, TENSE, SPANISH/FLAMENCO

DARK, TENSE, SPANISH/FLAMENCO

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

Where to use F♯ 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.

RELATED KEYS