E Sharp Phrygian Mode on the Guitar – 5 CAGED Positions, Tabs and Theory

‘E sharp phrygian’ is the 3rd mode of the C# Major scale. The notes in E# phrygian are:

E# – F# – G# – A# – B# – C# – D#

The phrygian mode has a dark sound, which can be used over minor chords to create interesting and exotic musical ideas.

If you have read the post on understanding the phrygian mode, you will know that the phrygian mode contains a ‘flat 2’, a ‘flat 3’, a ‘flat 6’ and a ‘flat 7’ (parallel approach).

You will also know that it is the 3rd mode of a major scale (derivative approach). Let’s briefly look at how to construct E# phrygian using both the parallel approach and the derivative approach.

E# Phrygian Mode Using The Parallel Approach

E sharp Major has the following notes:

E# – Fx – Gx – A# – B# – Cx – Dx

If we ‘flatten’ the 2nd note (Fx), the 3rd note (Gx), the 6th note (Cx) and the 7th note (Dx) we get the following:

E# – F# – G# – A# – B# – C# – D#

E# Phrygian Mode Using The Derivative Approach

E# is the 3rd note of the C# major scale:

C# – D# – E# – F# – G# – A# – B#

If we play the C# major scale and start on the 3rd note we get the following:

E# – F# – G# – A# – B# – C# – D#

E# Phrygian CAGED Positions

Let’s look at E# phrygian in the 5 different CAGED positions along the fretboard.

As there are no notes in E# phrygian that can be played on the open strings (with standard tuning) there is no ‘open position’.

E# Phrygian in the 1st Position (Lowest Fret is 1)

E Sharp Phrygian Mode 1st Position Frets
E Sharp Phrygian Mode 1st Position Notes

E# Phrygian in the 2nd Position (Lowest Fret is 2)

E Sharp Phrygian Mode 2nd Position Frets
E Sharp Phrygian Mode 2nd Position Notes

E# Phrygian in the 5th Position (Lowest Fret is 5)

E Sharp Phrygian Mode 5th Position Frets
E Sharp Phrygian Mode 5th Position Notes

E# Phrygian in the 8th Position (Lowest Fret is 8)

E Sharp Phrygian Mode 8th Position Frets
E Sharp Phrygian Mode 8th Position Notes

E# Phrygian in the 9th Position (Lowest Fret is 9)

E Sharp Phrygian Mode 9th Position Frets
E Sharp Phrygian Mode 9th Position Notes

That covers the 5 basic positions and the open position of E# phrygian along the guitar fretboard. For an in depth explanation of the phrygian mode, check out phrygian mode explained.

Further Reading

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