A Phrygian Pentatonic Scale Charts
Explore A Phrygian Pentatonic across the full guitar fretboard and 5 connected positions. Notes: A, A#, C, E, G. Intervals: 1, b2, b3, 5, b7.
A Phrygian Pentatonic full fretboard chart
A Phrygian Pentatonic uses A, A#, C, E, G across frets 0-15.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 5E | b7G | RA | b2A# | b3C | 5E | b7G | |||||||||
| 2B | b3C | 5E | b7G | RA | b2A# | b3C | ||||||||||
| 3G | b7G | RA | b2A# | b3C | 5E | b7G | RA | b2A# | ||||||||
| 4D | 5E | b7G | RA | b2A# | b3C | 5E | ||||||||||
| 5A | RA | b2A# | b3C | 5E | b7G | RA | b2A# | b3C | ||||||||
| 6E | 5E | b7G | RA | b2A# | b3C | 5E | b7G | |||||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
String 1: E4 at fret 0 (5), G4 at fret 3 (b7), A4 at fret 5 (root), A#4 at fret 6 (b2), C5 at fret 8 (b3), E5 at fret 12 (5), G5 at fret 15 (b7).
String 2: C4 at fret 1 (b3), E4 at fret 5 (5), G4 at fret 8 (b7), A4 at fret 10 (root), A#4 at fret 11 (b2), C5 at fret 13 (b3).
String 3: G3 at fret 0 (b7), A3 at fret 2 (root), A#3 at fret 3 (b2), C4 at fret 5 (b3), E4 at fret 9 (5), G4 at fret 12 (b7), A4 at fret 14 (root), A#4 at fret 15 (b2).
String 4: E3 at fret 2 (5), G3 at fret 5 (b7), A3 at fret 7 (root), A#3 at fret 8 (b2), C4 at fret 10 (b3), E4 at fret 14 (5).
String 5: A2 at fret 0 (root), A#2 at fret 1 (b2), C3 at fret 3 (b3), E3 at fret 7 (5), G3 at fret 10 (b7), A3 at fret 12 (root), A#3 at fret 13 (b2), C4 at fret 15 (b3).
String 6: E2 at fret 0 (5), G2 at fret 3 (b7), A2 at fret 5 (root), A#2 at fret 6 (b2), C3 at fret 8 (b3), E3 at fret 12 (5), G3 at fret 15 (b7).
A Phrygian Pentatonic Position 1 chart
Position 1 covers frets 5-8 for A Phrygian Pentatonic.
| String | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | RA | b2A# | b3C | |
| 2B | 5E | b7G | ||
| 3G | b3C | |||
| 4D | b7G | RA | b2A# | |
| 5A | 5E | |||
| 6E | RA | b2A# | b3C | |
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
String 1: A4 at fret 5 (root), A#4 at fret 6 (b2), C5 at fret 8 (b3).
String 2: E4 at fret 5 (5), G4 at fret 8 (b7).
String 3: C4 at fret 5 (b3).
String 4: G3 at fret 5 (b7), A3 at fret 7 (root), A#3 at fret 8 (b2).
String 5: E3 at fret 7 (5).
String 6: A2 at fret 5 (root), A#2 at fret 6 (b2), C3 at fret 8 (b3).
A Phrygian Pentatonic Position 2 chart
Position 2 covers frets 2-5 for A Phrygian Pentatonic.
| String | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b7G | RA | |||
| 2B | 5E | ||||
| 3G | RA | b2A# | b3C | ||
| 4D | 5E | b7G | |||
| 5A | b2A# | b3C | |||
| 6E | b7G | RA | |||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
String 1: G4 at fret 3 (b7), A4 at fret 5 (root).
String 2: E4 at fret 5 (5).
String 3: A3 at fret 2 (root), A#3 at fret 3 (b2), C4 at fret 5 (b3).
String 4: E3 at fret 2 (5), G3 at fret 5 (b7).
String 5: A#2 at fret 1 (b2), C3 at fret 3 (b3).
String 6: G2 at fret 3 (b7), A2 at fret 5 (root).
A Phrygian Pentatonic Position 3 chart
Position 3 covers frets 12-15 for A Phrygian Pentatonic.
| String | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 5E | b7G | |||
| 2B | b2A# | b3C | |||
| 3G | b7G | RA | |||
| 4D | 5E | ||||
| 5A | RA | b2A# | b3C | ||
| 6E | 5E | b7G | |||
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
String 1: E5 at fret 12 (5), G5 at fret 15 (b7).
String 2: A#4 at fret 11 (b2), C5 at fret 13 (b3).
String 3: G4 at fret 12 (b7), A4 at fret 14 (root).
String 4: E4 at fret 14 (5).
String 5: A3 at fret 12 (root), A#3 at fret 13 (b2), C4 at fret 15 (b3).
String 6: E3 at fret 12 (5), G3 at fret 15 (b7).
A Phrygian Pentatonic Position 4 chart
Position 4 covers frets 9-12 for A Phrygian Pentatonic.
| String | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b3C | 5E | |||
| 2B | RA | b2A# | |||
| 3G | 5E | b7G | |||
| 4D | b2A# | b3C | |||
| 5A | b7G | RA | |||
| 6E | b3C | 5E | |||
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
String 1: C5 at fret 8 (b3), E5 at fret 12 (5).
String 2: A4 at fret 10 (root), A#4 at fret 11 (b2).
String 3: E4 at fret 9 (5), G4 at fret 12 (b7).
String 4: A#3 at fret 8 (b2), C4 at fret 10 (b3).
String 5: G3 at fret 10 (b7), A3 at fret 12 (root).
String 6: C3 at fret 8 (b3), E3 at fret 12 (5).
A Phrygian Pentatonic Position 5 chart
Position 5 covers frets 7-10 for A Phrygian Pentatonic.
| String | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b2A# | b3C | |||
| 2B | b7G | RA | |||
| 3G | 5E | ||||
| 4D | RA | b2A# | b3C | ||
| 5A | 5E | b7G | |||
| 6E | b2A# | b3C | |||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
String 1: A#4 at fret 6 (b2), C5 at fret 8 (b3).
String 2: G4 at fret 8 (b7), A4 at fret 10 (root).
String 3: E4 at fret 9 (5).
String 4: A3 at fret 7 (root), A#3 at fret 8 (b2), C4 at fret 10 (b3).
String 5: E3 at fret 7 (5), G3 at fret 10 (b7).
String 6: A#2 at fret 6 (b2), C3 at fret 8 (b3).
Phrygian Pentatonic scale essentials
- Interval formula
- 1 · b2 · b3 · 5 · b7
- Characteristic tones
- b2 · b3
Practice the A Phrygian Pentatonic sound
- Say and play the scale: Play A → A# → C → E → G → A up and back down, naming the degrees 1 → b2 → b3 → 5 → b7 → 1 as you go.
- Hear its defining tones: pause on A# (b2), C (b3) before landing on A. Listen for how those characteristic tones color the phrase.
- Connect the positions: Work through all 5 position charts. Start in Position 1 (frets 5–8), then repeat a short phrase from the root in each shape. Use the full fretboard chart to find the next A as you move between positions.
Continue with this scale
Take Phrygian Pentatonic into the matching course and practice resources.