G# Phrygian Guitar Scale
Guitar scale in 7-string tuning — fretboard diagram
G# Phrygian in 7-string — Notes and Intervals
The G# Phrygian scale is the third mode of the major scale, defined by its immediate dark and tense character. On Guitar, its notes are G#, A, B, C#, D#, E, F#. It has a strong Spanish or ethnic flavor, making it the definitive sound of Flamenco. In modern contexts, it is widely used in heavy metal to create an aggressive, brooding atmosphere. The diatonic chords of G# Phrygian are G#m7, AMaj7, B7, C#m7, D#m7b5, EMaj7, F#m7. Commonly used in Flamenco, Metal, Djent, Middle Eastern. Notable players include Al Di Meola, Metallica, Meshuggah, Paco de Lucia. Use over sus(b9), m7 chords in Phrygian contexts. Often played over a droning root note or power chord. The b2 → 1 resolution is the mode's signature move.
Notes: G#, A, B, C#, D#, E, F#
Intervals: 1P, 2m, 3m, 4P, 5P, 6m, 7m
Degrees: 1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7
Formula: H-W-W-W-H-W-W
Number of notes: 7
Tuning: 7-string (B-E-A-D-G-B-E)
Diatonic Chords
G♯m7 — AMaj7 — B7 — C♯m7 — D♯m7♭5 — EMaj7 — F♯m7
About 7-string Tuning
The 7-string guitar adds a low B string below the standard 6-string tuning (B-E-A-D-G-B-E), extending the instrument's range into bass territory. This extra low end has become essential in progressive metal, djent, and modern heavy music, enabling crushing low-end riffs while maintaining access to standard guitar voicings on the upper strings.
Pioneered by jazz guitarist George Van Eps and later brought into the metal mainstream by Steve Vai and Korn, the 7-string guitar has become a staple of modern heavy music. Players like Tosin Abasi, Misha Mansoor, and John Petrucci have pushed the instrument's capabilities into new territory, using the extended range for complex harmonic progressions, polyrhythmic riffs, and sweeping arpeggios that span an enormous tonal range.
Notable artists: Dream Theater, Periphery, Animals as Leaders, Korn, Meshuggah
Best for: Progressive metal riffs, extended-range chord voicings, djent rhythms, and jazz fusion harmony
Musical Character
The b2 interval from the root creates an immediate sense of tension and 'danger'. This single semitone is what gives Phrygian its unmistakable flamenco/metal character.
Chord Progressions Using This Scale
- i – VII – VI – V (Andalusian Cadence)World / Flamenco — Tension & Drama