EADGBE123456789101112b6b71b2b345b6b2b345b6b71b25b6b71b2b341b2b345b6b7b345b6b71b2b3b6b71b2b345b6
Fig. 1 · G# Phrygian · first 12 frets

guitar scale

G♯ Phrygian

G♯1A♭2B♭3C♯4D♯5E♭6F♯♭7

Minor with a flattened second — the half step right above the tonic is the whole character.

The same sounds spelled from the other side are A♭ Phrygian.

on ukuleleon piano

Written out

Fig. 2 · G# Phrygian, ascending

Every accidental is written in, rather than left to a key signature, so the letters can be read one at a time.

The step pattern

G♯HAWBWC♯WD♯HEWF♯WG♯

What is true of it

G♯ Phrygian is G♯, A, B, C♯, D♯, E and F♯, and back to G♯.

Its steps are H – W – W – W – H – W – W, where W is a whole step and H a half.

On the same tonic, G♯ natural minor differs from it by exactly one note.

Across the first twelve frets of the guitar its notes fall in 46 places, which is what makes a scale a shape rather than a list.

Chords made only of these notes

C♯mminorC♯m7minor seventhD♯dimdiminishedD♯m7♭5half-diminished seventhEmajorEmaj7major seventhF♯mminorF♯m7minor seventh

Found by testing every chord in the catalogue against these 7 sounds, not chosen.

Other scales on G♯

G♯ DorianmodeG♯ LydianmodeG♯ MixolydianmodeG♯ majormajorG♯ natural minorminorG♯ harmonic minorminor

C phrC♯ phrD♭ phrD phrD♯ phrE♭ phrE phrF phrall 374