G Phrygian

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

PARENT FAMILY · D♯ MAJ

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

#	Mode	Diatonic chords	Mood
I	D♯ Ionian	D♯maj7 – Fm7 – Gm7 – G♯maj7 – A♯7 – Cm7 – Dm7♭5	Happy, bright, resolved
II	F Dorian	Fm7 – Gm7 – A♭maj7 – B♭7 – Cm7 – Dm7♭5 – E♭maj7	Soulful, minor but with hope
III	G Phrygian	Gm7 – G♯maj7 – A♯7 – Cm7 – Dm7♭5 – D♯maj7 – Fm7	Dark, tense, Spanish/flamenco
IV	G♯ Lydian	G♯maj7 – A♯7 – Cm7 – Dm7♭5 – D♯maj7 – Fm7 – Gm7	Dreamy, floating, ethereal
V	A♯ Mixolydian	A♯7 – Cm7 – Dm7♭5 – D♯maj7 – Fm7 – Gm7 – G♯maj7	Bluesy, dominant, rock
VI	C Aeolian	Cm7 – Dm7♭5 – D♯maj7 – Fm7 – Gm7 – G♯maj7 – A♯7	Melancholic, natural minor
VII	D Locrian	Dm7♭5 – D♯maj7 – Fm7 – Gm7 – G♯maj7 – A♯7 – Cm7	Unstable, tense, dissonant

SCALE · 7 NOTES · 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7

G G♯ A♯ C D D♯ F

Formula: 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7

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

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

DIATONIC 7ths · CHORD PAD

I

Gm7

II

G♯maj7

III

A♯7

IV

Cm7

V

Dm7♭5

VI

D♯maj7

VII

Fm7

▸ Play G Phrygian over Gm7 and A♯7 progressions.

FRETBOARD · STANDARD TUNING · 15F● LIVE

CHARACTER · DARK, TENSE, SPANISH/FLAMENCO

DARK, TENSE, SPANISH/FLAMENCO

G 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 G, which shifts the harmonic focus and creates a completely different sound. The tonic chord is Gm7.

Where to use G 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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