C Phrygian Pentatonic Scale Charts
Explore C Phrygian Pentatonic across the full guitar fretboard and 5 connected positions. Notes: C, C#, D#, G, A#. Intervals: 1, b2, b3, 5, b7.
C Phrygian Pentatonic full fretboard chart
C Phrygian Pentatonic uses C, C#, D#, G, A# across frets 0-15.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 5G | b7A# | RC | b2C# | b3D# | 5G | ||||||||||
| 2B | RC | b2C# | b3D# | 5G | b7A# | RC | b2C# | |||||||||
| 3G | 5G | b7A# | RC | b2C# | b3D# | 5G | b7A# | |||||||||
| 4D | b3D# | 5G | b7A# | RC | b2C# | b3D# | ||||||||||
| 5A | b7A# | RC | b2C# | b3D# | 5G | b7A# | RC | |||||||||
| 6E | 5G | b7A# | RC | b2C# | b3D# | 5G | ||||||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
String 1: G4 at fret 3 (5), A#4 at fret 6 (b7), C5 at fret 8 (root), C#5 at fret 9 (b2), D#5 at fret 11 (b3), G5 at fret 15 (5).
String 2: C4 at fret 1 (root), C#4 at fret 2 (b2), D#4 at fret 4 (b3), G4 at fret 8 (5), A#4 at fret 11 (b7), C5 at fret 13 (root), C#5 at fret 14 (b2).
String 3: G3 at fret 0 (5), A#3 at fret 3 (b7), C4 at fret 5 (root), C#4 at fret 6 (b2), D#4 at fret 8 (b3), G4 at fret 12 (5), A#4 at fret 15 (b7).
String 4: D#3 at fret 1 (b3), G3 at fret 5 (5), A#3 at fret 8 (b7), C4 at fret 10 (root), C#4 at fret 11 (b2), D#4 at fret 13 (b3).
String 5: A#2 at fret 1 (b7), C3 at fret 3 (root), C#3 at fret 4 (b2), D#3 at fret 6 (b3), G3 at fret 10 (5), A#3 at fret 13 (b7), C4 at fret 15 (root).
String 6: G2 at fret 3 (5), A#2 at fret 6 (b7), C3 at fret 8 (root), C#3 at fret 9 (b2), D#3 at fret 11 (b3), G3 at fret 15 (5).
C Phrygian Pentatonic Position 1 chart
Position 1 covers frets 8-11 for C Phrygian Pentatonic.
| String | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | RC | b2C# | b3D# | |
| 2B | 5G | b7A# | ||
| 3G | b3D# | |||
| 4D | b7A# | RC | b2C# | |
| 5A | 5G | |||
| 6E | RC | b2C# | b3D# | |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
String 1: C5 at fret 8 (root), C#5 at fret 9 (b2), D#5 at fret 11 (b3).
String 2: G4 at fret 8 (5), A#4 at fret 11 (b7).
String 3: D#4 at fret 8 (b3).
String 4: A#3 at fret 8 (b7), C4 at fret 10 (root), C#4 at fret 11 (b2).
String 5: G3 at fret 10 (5).
String 6: C3 at fret 8 (root), C#3 at fret 9 (b2), D#3 at fret 11 (b3).
C Phrygian Pentatonic Position 2 chart
Position 2 covers frets 5-8 for C Phrygian Pentatonic.
| String | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b7A# | RC | |||
| 2B | 5G | ||||
| 3G | RC | b2C# | b3D# | ||
| 4D | 5G | b7A# | |||
| 5A | b2C# | b3D# | |||
| 6E | b7A# | RC | |||
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
String 1: A#4 at fret 6 (b7), C5 at fret 8 (root).
String 2: G4 at fret 8 (5).
String 3: C4 at fret 5 (root), C#4 at fret 6 (b2), D#4 at fret 8 (b3).
String 4: G3 at fret 5 (5), A#3 at fret 8 (b7).
String 5: C#3 at fret 4 (b2), D#3 at fret 6 (b3).
String 6: A#2 at fret 6 (b7), C3 at fret 8 (root).
C Phrygian Pentatonic Position 3 chart
Position 3 covers frets 3-6 for C Phrygian Pentatonic.
| String | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 5G | b7A# | |||
| 2B | b2C# | b3D# | |||
| 3G | b7A# | RC | |||
| 4D | 5G | ||||
| 5A | RC | b2C# | b3D# | ||
| 6E | 5G | b7A# | |||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
String 1: G4 at fret 3 (5), A#4 at fret 6 (b7).
String 2: C#4 at fret 2 (b2), D#4 at fret 4 (b3).
String 3: A#3 at fret 3 (b7), C4 at fret 5 (root).
String 4: G3 at fret 5 (5).
String 5: C3 at fret 3 (root), C#3 at fret 4 (b2), D#3 at fret 6 (b3).
String 6: G2 at fret 3 (5), A#2 at fret 6 (b7).
C Phrygian Pentatonic Position 4 chart
Position 4 covers frets 0-3 for C Phrygian Pentatonic.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 5G | |||
| 2B | RC | b2C# | ||
| 3G | 5G | b7A# | ||
| 4D | b3D# | |||
| 5A | b7A# | RC | ||
| 6E | 5G | |||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
String 1: G4 at fret 3 (5).
String 2: C4 at fret 1 (root), C#4 at fret 2 (b2).
String 3: G3 at fret 0 (5), A#3 at fret 3 (b7).
String 4: D#3 at fret 1 (b3).
String 5: A#2 at fret 1 (b7), C3 at fret 3 (root).
String 6: G2 at fret 3 (5).
C Phrygian Pentatonic Position 5 chart
Position 5 covers frets 10-13 for C Phrygian Pentatonic.
| String | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b2C# | b3D# | |||
| 2B | b7A# | RC | |||
| 3G | 5G | ||||
| 4D | RC | b2C# | b3D# | ||
| 5A | 5G | b7A# | |||
| 6E | b2C# | b3D# | |||
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
String 1: C#5 at fret 9 (b2), D#5 at fret 11 (b3).
String 2: A#4 at fret 11 (b7), C5 at fret 13 (root).
String 3: G4 at fret 12 (5).
String 4: C4 at fret 10 (root), C#4 at fret 11 (b2), D#4 at fret 13 (b3).
String 5: G3 at fret 10 (5), A#3 at fret 13 (b7).
String 6: C#3 at fret 9 (b2), D#3 at fret 11 (b3).
Phrygian Pentatonic scale essentials
- Interval formula
- 1 · b2 · b3 · 5 · b7
- Characteristic tones
- b2 · b3
Practice the C Phrygian Pentatonic sound
- Say and play the scale: Play C → C# → D# → G → A# → C up and back down, naming the degrees 1 → b2 → b3 → 5 → b7 → 1 as you go.
- Hear its defining tones: pause on C# (b2), D# (b3) before landing on C. Listen for how those characteristic tones color the phrase.
- Connect the positions: Work through all 5 position charts. Start in Position 1 (frets 8–11), then repeat a short phrase from the root in each shape. Use the full fretboard chart to find the next C as you move between positions.
Continue with this scale
Take Phrygian Pentatonic into the matching course and practice resources.