This lesson will explore chords you can build using D Phrygian mode notes.
Beginning with a piano diagram of both treble and bass clefs (with middle C highlighted), mode notes are presented with their interval positions and scale degree names.
Scale
The D Phrygian scale contains seven notes and has two flats as a key signature. Beginning on D, its intervals mirror those of the D natural minor scale with only the second degree being reduced by half step compared to natural minor (DnM). Due to its popularity with flamenco music and Middle Eastern cultural roots it’s often known by these names; Mixolydian 913 or Spanish Scale are common nicknames; often it can even be heard used within Jewish folk music especially during Hava Nagila performances.
The D Phrygian Scale offers many distinctive characteristics that make it incredibly useful for jazz improvisation. Its unusual intervallic construction creates an exotic sound and often creates tension before resolving to major. Furthermore, Phrygian scale can also complement certain instances of dominant 7th chords where minor resolution is desired.
To learn the d phrygian scale, it can be useful to start off by learning an accessible major scale and use interval identification to assemble it from its root/starting note. This allows you to hear how scale degrees relate to its tonic (starting) note – providing a clearer idea of its sound production.
As soon as you’ve learned your scale, try playing some chords that match it. Minor triads with 1st and 2nd inversions are often appropriate; roman numeral letters vii, iv and v can help identify which inversion is which. For instance: “vii6” stands for root position minor triad; iv6 represents 1st inversion minor triad; while “v6” indicates second inversion.
An alternative way of understanding this scale is to compare it with the G Harmonic Minor scale. Both contain all of the same notes, with Phrygian having minor scale qualities and starting on an opposite note compared to Gharmic. This makes Phrygian more accessible for guitarists familiar with other minor scales.
Chords
Many jazz scales have multiple names; D Phrygian may even hold the record for having more names than any other jazz scale! One such alternative name for it is Mixolydian 913; although, more commonly, people refer to it simply as Phrygian.
Phrygian Dominant Scale’ is another name commonly associated with D phrygian, likely because of its versatility when used to harmonize a wide variety of chords including dominant, minor and diminished chords. Furthermore, this mode is commonly employed when harmonizing major key triad chords; thus making it an excellent way to resolve into major key chords when necessary.
D phrygian chords produce a vibrant harmonic sound when used with triad chords, due to its combination of both minor and major tones; thus balancing tension between dominant and minor voicings. D phrygian is often preferred by jazz musicians because it allows them to achieve an expressive harmonic soundscape.
To create a d phrygian chord, start with the root triad in key of d. From there, find its equivalent chord from the table below and add its seventh scale degree before finally adding its tonic note to complete this chord type.
With the above D Phrygian chord table, we can determine the notes necessary to compose a D Phrygian triad by counting up from its root note. For whole tones, count two physical piano keys (white or black); half tones count up by one. The tonic note (indicated with an *) should also be considered when counting upward from its root note.
The D Phrygian Chord Table also displays chord symbols corresponding to each chord and their formation triads, including any potential additional inversions such as D Phrygian Mode Chord VIIa in root position; D Phrygian Mode Chord VIIb can also be added for its 1st Inversion while adding letter C can show its 2nd Inversion D Phrygian Scale Mode Chord VIic
Melodies
Jazz musicians frequently employ the Phrygian mode to add Mediterranean flavor to their music; two popular jazz songs that employ this mode include “Take a Daytrip” and “Monday Morning.” You may also come across it in Flamenco music or country music – it is even sometimes found as part of chord progressions!
This mode can be constructed similarly to any diatonic scale by employing a sequence of whole tones and half tones – its intervals being HWWHWW (Half Whole Whole, Half Whole, Whole, Half, and Whole), which also serves to construct dominant seventh chords within this mode.
This mode is an often-utilized approach to improvising melodies and chord progressions, providing tension or darkness into your music. While you might associate this mode with popular genres such as jazz or metal music, its usage doesn’t limit its application – apply it however you please.
Modes can be complex to learn if you’re unfamiliar, but once you understand their fundamentals they become easier to practice and incorporate into your playing. To start learning the d phrygian mode, identify its starting note – middle C on the piano keyboard. From there you can count up scale degrees of this mode until each step of this lesson teaches how to construct a triad chord that harmonizes with its particular note of the mode.
To help make learning the notes in this mode easier, we have put together a table with all the white and black notes on a piano keyboard along with their associated mode notes. Each column in this table corresponds with one scale degree in this mode while each row contains a triad chord that works well with that particular mode note.
Begin your musical journey on the 1st mode note (D), moving upward through the scale until reaching C in the 7th mode degree. From then on, when referring back to this lesson step-by-step, use roman numeral vii as your reference number for that specific triad chord.
Exercises
Phrygian mode’s menacing sound makes it an essential scale for metal musicians and flamenco guitarists alike, while its versatility lends itself to various chord progressions and melodies on guitar. While playing it perfectly is tricky, in this lesson we will provide several exercises designed to help develop your understanding of this exotic mode.
Exercise one involves improvising with the Phrygian scale pattern in open position. This exercise can help develop your fingering techniques for this mode, which has distinct shapes compared to diatonic scale patterns we’ve already covered.
As another way of practicing Phrygian improvisation, patterns can provide the ideal starting point for melodies. You can do this by combining various scale patterns together in order to form longer melodic lines; for instance, you could combine Phrygian Pattern 1 with Phrygian Pattern 2 and create an unsettling melodic line!
Final Exercise of this lesson will focus on applying what we’ve learned about d phrygian to chord progressions. First up are some augmented chords in d phrygian that contain an additional note in its triad – these add tension to progressions, often used to add drama in songs.
Following is an exploration of minor 7th chords in D Phrygian mode, as mentioned above. As previously stated, this mode can be an ideal choice for improvising over minor chords since its natural 3rd is prominent. However, please keep in mind that minor 7th chords contain flattened second degrees which produce dissonant notes when played using Phrygian scale; hence it would be wiser to avoid using this mode over other minor 7th chords than IIII chord.
At the conclusion of this lesson, we’ll look at several phrygian dominant chord progressions. Phrygian dominant chords add tension and drama to songs; therefore it is crucial that you know how to improvise over them.