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Scale · 7 notes

A♯ Phrygian Scale

A♯ Phrygian is a 7-note scale with the notes A♯ B C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯ G♯. It sounds minor with a flattened 2nd, dark and tense with a Spanish flavour.

E♯BC♯D♯F♯G♯A♯

Purple = A♯ (the tonic) · green = other scale notes

On the fretboard

Every A♯ phrygian note on the neck. Pick a pattern to see the compact fingering shape that fits under one hand.

EADGBe135791215E♯F♯G♯A♯BC♯D♯E♯F♯A♯BC♯D♯E♯F♯G♯A♯BD♯E♯F♯G♯A♯BC♯D♯E♯G♯A♯BC♯D♯E♯F♯G♯A♯BC♯D♯E♯F♯G♯A♯BC♯E♯F♯G♯A♯BC♯D♯E♯F♯

Blue = A♯ (the root) · green = other scale notes

Notes in the A♯ Phrygian scale

DegreeNoteName
1A♯Tonic
♭2BSupertonic
♭3C♯Mediant
4D♯Subdominant
5E♯Dominant
♭6F♯Submediant
♭7G♯Subtonic

Each note uses a different letter name, so the spelling follows the scale rather than the keyboard: A♯ B C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯ G♯.

A♯ Phrygian scale formula

The pattern of steps from one note to the next is H – W – W – W – H – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step). Compared with the major scale the degrees are 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7.

Chords in the A♯ Phrygian scale

Stacking thirds on each note of the scale gives these chords:

DegreeTriad7th chord
iA♯mA♯m7
IIBBmaj7
IIIC♯C♯7
ivD♯mD♯m7
v°E♯°E♯ø7
VIF♯F♯maj7
viiG♯mG♯m7

Chord names link to guitar chord shapes where we have them.

Related scales

  • Parent major scale: F♯ Major, which has exactly the same notes as A♯ Phrygian.

How to practise the A♯ Phrygian scale

Learn each mode by its characteristic note: the one that makes it different from the major or minor scale it most resembles. Play a drone on the tonic while you play the scale to hear its colour.

Frequently asked questions

What are the notes in the A♯ Phrygian scale?

The notes of the A♯ Phrygian scale are A♯ B C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯ G♯.

What is the formula for the A♯ Phrygian scale?

The pattern of whole and half steps is H – W – W – W – H – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step). In scale degrees: 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7.

What chords are in the A♯ Phrygian scale?

Built from the scale in triads: A♯m, B, C♯, D♯m, E♯°, F♯, G♯m.

More A♯ scales

A♯ Natural Minor, A♯ Locrian, A♯ Minor Pentatonic, A♯ Blues, A♯ Altered, A♯ Locrian ♯2

Explore the full scales library, find a scale from notes with the scale finder, or see every chord in every key in the chord chart.