B Phrygian Scale
The B Phrygian scale contains 7 notes: B, C, D, E, F♯, G, A.
B Phrygian scale on the piano
Key facts
What is the Phrygian scale?
Phrygian is the third mode of the major scale — a minor scale with a lowered second. The half step between the first two notes gives it the Spanish and flamenco colour, and it is a staple of metal riffing.
B Phrygian uses the same notes as G Major, started from degree 3 instead of the first. The notes are shared; the tonic, and therefore the sound, is not.
B Phrygian is a scale, not a key. It has no key signature of its own — music that uses it is normally written in the key signature of its parent scale, with any extra accidentals added as they occur.
Scale degrees of B Phrygian
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | B | P1 | 0 |
| 2 | C | m2 | 1 |
| 3 | D | m3 | 3 |
| 4 | E | P4 | 5 |
| 5 | F♯ | P5 | 7 |
| 6 | G | m6 | 8 |
| 7 | A | m7 | 10 |
Chords in B Phrygian
These are the triads built on each degree of B Phrygian using only notes from the scale.
Other scales on B
Every scale type that starts on B, for comparison.
Phrygian in every key
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the B Phrygian scale?
The B Phrygian scale has 7 notes: B, C, D, E, F♯, G, A.
What is the formula for the B Phrygian scale?
The B Phrygian scale follows the step pattern H–W–W–W–H–W–W, where H is a half step and W is a whole step.
What scale is B Phrygian derived from?
B Phrygian is the mode of G Major that starts on its 3 degree. Both scales use the same notes but resolve to a different tonic.
What chords are in the B Phrygian scale?
The triads built from the B Phrygian scale are Bm, C, D, Em, F♯dim, G, Am.
