F♯ Phrygian (F# Phrygian) scale on tenor sax
F♯ Phrygian has 7 notes: F♯ G A B C♯ D E. Degrees: 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7. Formula: H W W W H W W.
What notes are in the F♯ Phrygian scale?
F♯, G, A, B, C♯, D and E. It has 7 notes; its formula in whole and half steps is H W W W H W W.
What does F♯ Phrygian sound like, and when do you use it?
Dark and tense: the ♭2 right next to the root sounds Spanish and metal. Use it over m7 · the iii of a major key; sus chords with ♭9.
Chords in F♯ Phrygian
| Degree | Triad | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| i | F♯m | F♯m7 |
| ♭II | G | Gmaj7 |
| ♭III | A | A7 |
| iv | Bm | Bm7 |
| v° | C♯° | C♯m7♭5 |
| ♭VI | D | Dmaj7 |
| ♭vii | Em | Em7 |
Chord progressions to improvise with F♯ Phrygian
In Jam mode (the Jam button above) a band of grand piano, upright bass and drums (recorded instruments) plays these progressions as swing, bossa, groove or ballad, and the staff lights up the notes of each chord as it plays. It's a backing track made for this scale in F♯:
- Phrygian vamp (i7–♭IImaj7): F♯m7 | Gmaj7. The ♭2 (G) in the bass of the second chord: that half step is the whole Phrygian flavor.
- Phrygian riff (i–♭II–♭III): F♯m | G | A | G. i–♭II–♭III–♭II: the riff of metal and electric flamenco.
- Modal (i7): a F♯m7 vamp. One chord, no rush: lean on the G and resolve to the root.
F♯ Phrygian on tenor sax: written notes and fingerings
The tenor sax is a B♭ instrument: written F♯ Phrygian sounds E Phrygian in concert pitch. Fingering for each note, from low to high (left hand | right hand):
- F♯: 123 | 2
- G: 123 | –
- A: 12 | –
- B: 1 | –
- C♯: – | –
- D: 123 | 123 + octave key
- E: 123 | 12 + octave key
- F♯: 123 | 2 + octave key
Same notes as
D major · B natural minor · D Ionian · E Dorian · G Lydian · A Mixolydian · B Aeolian · C♯ Locrian
Phrygian in other keys
On other instruments
F♯ Phrygian on piano · F♯ Phrygian on guitar · F♯ Phrygian on bass · F♯ Phrygian on ukulele · F♯ Phrygian on mandolin · F♯ Phrygian on banjo · F♯ Phrygian on violin · F♯ Phrygian on viola · F♯ Phrygian on cello · F♯ Phrygian on alto sax · F♯ Phrygian on trumpet · F♯ Phrygian on flute · All scales