The Scale
There are many ways in which to play an A Phrygian scale, but we’ll stick with the 5th fret box position used over the last few months:
Ascending
E|--------------------------------------------------5--6--8-----------
B|---------------------------------------5--6--8----------------------
G|--------------------------------5--7--------------------------------
D|----------------------5--7--8---------------------------------------
A|------------5--7--8-------------------------------------------------
E|--5--6--8-----------------------------------------------------------
Descending
E|--8--6--5----------------------------------------------------------
B|-----------8--6--5-------------------------------------------------
G|--------------------7--5-------------------------------------------
D|--------------------------8--7--5----------------------------------
A|------------------------------------8--7--5------------------------
E|-----------------------------------------------8--6--5-------------
The Theory
The Phrygian mode starts on the third note of the Major scale, so the notes of A Phrygian are the same as its parent - F Major. The intervals are HWWWHWW. The Phrygian mode is minor in tonality – similar to Aeolian (Natural Minor) but with a flattened 2nd by comparison, making it a slightly 'darker'.
The Phrygian mode has a Spanish flavour and is used by many shred players. 'Wherever I may roam' by Metallica is largely Phrygian, 'Would?' by Alice in Chains is also Phrygian. Augmenting the third degree of Phrygian takes us to the Phrygian Dominant which is used extensively by John Petrucci of Dream Theater and Joe Satriani.
Some Example licks (Tab symbol key below)
1) Try pinch harmonics on the D string run:
E|--------------------------------------------------------
B|--------------------------------------------------------
G|--------------------------7/9---------------------------
D|---------8--7--5--7------5/7---------------------------
A|------7-------------------------------------------------
E|--/5----------------------------------------------------
2) Economy Pick:
E|----------5----------5h8p5-----------------------------
B|--8b10------6---------------6--------------------------
G|-----------------7--------------8----------------------
D|-----------------------------------8--7----------------
A|--------------------------------------------------------
E|--------------------------------------------------------
3) Sweep Picking:
E|--------------------------12h15t18p15t18p15t18p15p12---------------------------
B|---------------------13--------------------------------------13-------------------
G|----------------14------------------------------------------------14--------------
D|-----------14----------------------------------------------------------14--------
A|--12h15--------------------------------------------------------------------15~~-
E|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4) Alternate Picking:
E|--20-18-17-------------18-17-15-----------------------------------------------------
B|-------------20-18-17-------------18-17-15------------------------------------------
G|-----------------------------------------------19-17-15------------17-15-14---------
D|----------------------------------------------------------19-17-15-------------/19--
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hammer ons: h.
Pull offs: p.
Vibrato: ~.
Bends: b.
Release bend: br.
Tap: t.
Slides: / or \ depending on direction.
Full Access Subscribers can access more lessons in the Phrygian Mode at www.guitartricks.com – including:
http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=7372
http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=10740
http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=10743
Private Message me using the links above and tell me which scale should be Scale of the Month for December...
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