D# Phrygian Guitar Scale — Drop B
Guitar scale in Drop B tuning — fretboard diagram
D# Phrygian in Drop B — Notes and Intervals
The D# Phrygian scale is the third mode of the major scale, defined by its immediate dark and tense character. On Guitar, its notes are D#, E, F#, G#, A#, B, C#. It has a strong Spanish or ethnic flavor, making it the definitive sound of Flamenco. In modern contexts, it is widely used in heavy metal to create an aggressive, brooding atmosphere. The diatonic chords of D# Phrygian are D#m7, EMaj7, F#7, G#m7, A#m7b5, BMaj7, C#m7. Commonly used in Flamenco, Metal, Djent, Middle Eastern. Notable players include Al Di Meola, Metallica, Meshuggah, Paco de Lucia. Use over sus(b9), m7 chords in Phrygian contexts. Often played over a droning root note or power chord. The b2 → 1 resolution is the mode's signature move.
Notes: D#, E, F#, G#, A#, B, C#
Intervals: 1P, 2m, 3m, 4P, 5P, 6m, 7m
Degrees: 1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7
Formula: H-W-W-W-H-W-W
Number of notes: 7
Tuning: Drop B (B-F#-B-E-G#-C#)
Diatonic Chords
D♯m7 — EMaj7 — F♯7 — G♯m7 — A♯m7♭5 — BMaj7 — C♯m7
About Drop B Tuning
Drop B tuning (B-F#-B-E-G#-C#) takes the guitar into territory traditionally reserved for 7-string instruments, delivering a subsonic heaviness that you can feel in your chest. This tuning has become essential in modern extreme metal, deathcore, and djent, where low-end clarity and rhythmic precision are paramount.
Drop B represents the practical limit of what a standard 6-string guitar can handle before tone quality degrades. With the right string gauge (12-60 or heavier) and proper setup, it delivers the crushing lows of a 7-string while keeping the familiar 6-string layout. Bands like Architects, Periphery (on some tracks), and Parkway Drive have used Drop B to create some of the heaviest riffs in modern metal.
Notable artists: Architects, Parkway Drive, Whitechapel, Born of Osiris, Emmure
Best for: Extreme metal riffs, deathcore breakdowns, djent chugs, and any style demanding the lowest possible 6-string tuning
Explore This Scale in Other Tunings
- D# Phrygian in Standard Tuning
- D# Phrygian in Drop D
- D# Phrygian in DADGAD
- D# Phrygian in Open G
- D# Phrygian in Baritone (B Standard)
- D# Phrygian in 7-string
- D# Phrygian in 8-string
- D# Phrygian in Drop C
- D# Phrygian in Open D
- D# Phrygian in Half Step Down
- D# Phrygian in Open E
- D# Phrygian in Open A
- D# Phrygian in Double Drop D
- D# Phrygian in Open C