Ab Phrygian
A minor diatonic mode with a minor 2nd above the tonic; a compact, tense sound.
Octaves
Musical context
How the mode relates to the scale, chord, key and progression.
Theory
General info
- Name
- Ab Phrygian
- Family
- Diatonic modes
- Note count
- 7
- Step formula
- H – W – W – W – H – W – W
Notes & degrees
1Abroot
b2Aminor 2nd
b3Cbminor 3rd
4Dbperfect 4th
5Ebperfect 5th
b6Fbminor 6th
b7Gbminor 7th
Characteristic degrees
IIAlowered 2nd degree
Construction
- Overview
- A minor diatonic mode with a minor 2nd above the tonic; a compact, tense sound.
- Application in music
- The bII – i move emphasises the lowered 2nd; the mode appears in flamenco and riff-based modal music.
- Interval formula
- AbHAWCbWDbWEbHFbWGb
- Reference mode
- Ab Aeolian
Ab Aeolian
IAb
IIBb
IIICb
IVDb
VEb
VIFb
VIIGb
Ab Phrygian
IAb
IIA
IIICb
IVDb
VEb
VIFb
VIIGb
How the mode is built
- Position in the system
- Degree 3 of the parent major scale
- Parent scale
- Fb major
- Parallel major
- Ab majormajor from the same tonic
Sibling modes
Chords by degree
Tensions & resolutions
Stable degrees
IAbpoint of resttonic
IIICbdefines modal qualitythird
VEbsupports the tonic sonorityfifth
Typical resolutions & tensions
IIICbCb
IVDbDb
In a dominant context, scale degree 4 normally descends by step to 3.
IAbAb
IIAA
Scale degree 2 may descend to tonic; the motion is especially close when degree 2 is lowered.
This mode on guitar 🎸
See how Ab Phrygian looks on guitar.
Circle of fifths
The major key on the same tonic and its neighbouring keys on the circle of fifths.
Connections
Practice
Keyboard Trainer
Reinforce it in practice — play and name notes on the interactive keyboard.