The Phrygian scale has that exotic vibe, thanks to the b2.
This scale also happens to be the 3rd mode of a major scale. In simple terms, we can also look at it as a minor scale, but with a flat 2 degree.
In this blog, we will learn 5 simple melodic phrases to get you started with internalising the sound of this scale.
The Method
If you read my blog about A Simple Approach To Creating Melodies, we will be using that method for these phrases.
Click Here to read that blog!
The Rhythmic Idea
For this blog, I came up with 5 simple rhythmic ideas without using dotted notes. These make use of quarter, 8th, and 16th notes, as well as their equivalent rests.
Let's take a look at them:
The Key Centre
For this blog, I chose 'B' as my key centre.
The Scale
As mentioned at the beginning, the phrygian scale is simply a minor scale, but with a flat 2.
So, if we know the notes of a B minor scale, B C# D E F# G A, we simply flatten the C# and make it a C.
This leaves us with the following notes: B C D E F# G A.
We can also look at it as a G major scale from it's 3rd degree, giving us the same set of notes.
Choosing Our Notes
As in previous blogs, I will be choosing notes out of this scale by ear, but the number of notes will be the same as the rhythmic elements in each rhythm above.
Please note that the octave for each note is also something I'm choosing by ear. And I encourage you to do so as well.
The more you explore, the more organic you sound. Let's choose notes for each rhythmic idea one by one:
9 notes: A F# D G - F# E C D || B.
7 notes: B G F# - E D C B.
12 notes: E - D C B D - E D C - C G A B
14 notes: E D C B - F# E D C - E D C B - A B
23 notes: F# G E F# - D E F# D - E D - D C B || E - F# E D C - A B - D C B
Putting Them Together
We have our rhythms, we have our notes. Now let's put them together:
Add these to your vocabulary, and try playing these over a B-7 vamp to get started.
Eventually try playing over some jazz standards, and use these phrases over the iii min chord of the tune.
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