The third mode of the Major Scale..and a personal favourite. So, if we stick to C Major for the sake of our examples, the Phrygian mode is constructed from the third note, E, like so:
E F G A B C D E
.which looks to me like a regular minor scale (given the G and C) but with a b9 (F)..and it's that b9 that is the essence of the Phrygian sound.
We've already established that playing the above scale over C Major...will sound like C Major. To get to the sound of the Phrygian mode, have a look at the first chord you get from harmonising the scale in the usual method..stacking up intervals in thirds...you get
E G B = Eminor
So, we need to play our CMajor notes over an Eminor chord progression to get the Phrygian sound. Remember that F note!..it's going to sound very tense and exotic over the Eminor.
Here's a quick clip of what this actually all sounds like over an Eminor based progression. I've emphasised the E-F semitone sound in a lot of the phrases..sounds very Spanish to me.
A lot of players actually play a G# instead of the G..which gives you the Phrygian Dominant scale..which is a mode of the Harmonic minor scale..but don't worry about that for now.
...try a G# instead of a G in your licks by all means though..it makes the b9 sound even more dramatic. In the clip below, I stuck to playing a G..just so you're clear on what the Phrygian mode sounds like.
http://www.box.net/shared/5o5xm5irphhttp://www.box.net/shared/5o5xm5irph
The backing track is available here.
http://www.fretjam.info/media-files/phryg-ambient.mp3
E F G A B C D E
.which looks to me like a regular minor scale (given the G and C) but with a b9 (F)..and it's that b9 that is the essence of the Phrygian sound.
We've already established that playing the above scale over C Major...will sound like C Major. To get to the sound of the Phrygian mode, have a look at the first chord you get from harmonising the scale in the usual method..stacking up intervals in thirds...you get
E G B = Eminor
So, we need to play our CMajor notes over an Eminor chord progression to get the Phrygian sound. Remember that F note!..it's going to sound very tense and exotic over the Eminor.
Here's a quick clip of what this actually all sounds like over an Eminor based progression. I've emphasised the E-F semitone sound in a lot of the phrases..sounds very Spanish to me.
A lot of players actually play a G# instead of the G..which gives you the Phrygian Dominant scale..which is a mode of the Harmonic minor scale..but don't worry about that for now.

http://www.box.net/shared/5o5xm5irphhttp://www.box.net/shared/5o5xm5irph
The backing track is available here.
http://www.fretjam.info/media-files/phryg-ambient.mp3
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