F# Phrygian Guitar Scale
Guitar scale in 8-string tuning — fretboard diagram
F# Phrygian in 8-string — Notes and Intervals
The F# Phrygian scale is the third mode of the major scale, defined by its immediate dark and tense character. On Guitar, its notes are F#, G, A, B, C#, D, E. 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 F# Phrygian are F#m7, GMaj7, A7, Bm7, C#m7b5, DMaj7, Em7. 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: F#, G, A, B, C#, D, E
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: 8-string (F#-B-E-A-D-G-B-E)
Diatonic Chords
F♯m7 — GMaj7 — A7 — Bm7 — C♯m7♭5 — DMaj7 — Em7
About 8-string Tuning
The 8-string guitar adds both a low B and a low F# string (F#-B-E-A-D-G-B-E), pushing the instrument's range almost into bass guitar territory. This massive tonal range has become the weapon of choice for djent, progressive metal, and experimental composers who need bone-crushing low-end and soaring highs in a single instrument.
With artists like Tosin Abasi, Meshuggah, and After the Burial leading the charge, the 8-string guitar has redefined what's possible in modern heavy music. The low F# string delivers subsonic heaviness that you can feel in your chest, while the upper strings maintain standard guitar voicings for leads and clean passages. Extended-range compositions often exploit the full span of the instrument, creating a wall of sound that covers bass, rhythm, and lead guitar roles simultaneously.
Notable artists: Meshuggah, Animals as Leaders, After the Burial, Intervals, Monuments
Best for: Djent polyrhythms, extended-range metal riffs, experimental compositions, and one-instrument arrangements spanning bass to lead
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