Phrygian vs Locrian
The C phrygian and the C locrian share 6 notes — C, Db, Eb, F, Ab, Bb. From there, the C phrygian adds G, while the C locrian adds Gb.
Guitar · 6-string, tuned low to high: E, A, D, G, B, e. 24 frets.
- E string: fret 1 F (4 of C Phrygian and 4 of C Locrian), fret 2 Gb (flat 5), fret 3 G (5), fret 4 Ab (flat 6 of C Phrygian and flat 6 of C Locrian), fret 6 Bb (flat 7 of C Phrygian and flat 7 of C Locrian), fret 8 C (root of C Phrygian and root of C Locrian), fret 9 Db (flat 2 of C Phrygian and flat 2 of C Locrian), fret 11 Eb (flat 3 of C Phrygian and flat 3 of C Locrian), fret 13 F (4 of C Phrygian and 4 of C Locrian), fret 14 Gb (flat 5), fret 15 G (5), fret 16 Ab (flat 6 of C Phrygian and flat 6 of C Locrian), fret 18 Bb (flat 7 of C Phrygian and flat 7 of C Locrian), fret 20 C (root of C Phrygian and root of C Locrian), fret 21 Db (flat 2 of C Phrygian and flat 2 of C Locrian), fret 23 Eb (flat 3 of C Phrygian and flat 3 of C Locrian).
- A string: fret 1 Bb (flat 7 of C Phrygian and flat 7 of C Locrian), fret 3 C (root of C Phrygian and root of C Locrian), fret 4 Db (flat 2 of C Phrygian and flat 2 of C Locrian), fret 6 Eb (flat 3 of C Phrygian and flat 3 of C Locrian), fret 8 F (4 of C Phrygian and 4 of C Locrian), fret 9 Gb (flat 5), fret 10 G (5), fret 11 Ab (flat 6 of C Phrygian and flat 6 of C Locrian), fret 13 Bb (flat 7 of C Phrygian and flat 7 of C Locrian), fret 15 C (root of C Phrygian and root of C Locrian), fret 16 Db (flat 2 of C Phrygian and flat 2 of C Locrian), fret 18 Eb (flat 3 of C Phrygian and flat 3 of C Locrian), fret 20 F (4 of C Phrygian and 4 of C Locrian), fret 21 Gb (flat 5), fret 22 G (5), fret 23 Ab (flat 6 of C Phrygian and flat 6 of C Locrian).
- D string: fret 1 Eb (flat 3 of C Phrygian and flat 3 of C Locrian), fret 3 F (4 of C Phrygian and 4 of C Locrian), fret 4 Gb (flat 5), fret 5 G (5), fret 6 Ab (flat 6 of C Phrygian and flat 6 of C Locrian), fret 8 Bb (flat 7 of C Phrygian and flat 7 of C Locrian), fret 10 C (root of C Phrygian and root of C Locrian), fret 11 Db (flat 2 of C Phrygian and flat 2 of C Locrian), fret 13 Eb (flat 3 of C Phrygian and flat 3 of C Locrian), fret 15 F (4 of C Phrygian and 4 of C Locrian), fret 16 Gb (flat 5), fret 17 G (5), fret 18 Ab (flat 6 of C Phrygian and flat 6 of C Locrian), fret 20 Bb (flat 7 of C Phrygian and flat 7 of C Locrian), fret 22 C (root of C Phrygian and root of C Locrian), fret 23 Db (flat 2 of C Phrygian and flat 2 of C Locrian).
- G string: fret 0 G (5), fret 1 Ab (flat 6 of C Phrygian and flat 6 of C Locrian), fret 3 Bb (flat 7 of C Phrygian and flat 7 of C Locrian), fret 5 C (root of C Phrygian and root of C Locrian), fret 6 Db (flat 2 of C Phrygian and flat 2 of C Locrian), fret 8 Eb (flat 3 of C Phrygian and flat 3 of C Locrian), fret 10 F (4 of C Phrygian and 4 of C Locrian), fret 11 Gb (flat 5), fret 12 G (5), fret 13 Ab (flat 6 of C Phrygian and flat 6 of C Locrian), fret 15 Bb (flat 7 of C Phrygian and flat 7 of C Locrian), fret 17 C (root of C Phrygian and root of C Locrian), fret 18 Db (flat 2 of C Phrygian and flat 2 of C Locrian), fret 20 Eb (flat 3 of C Phrygian and flat 3 of C Locrian), fret 22 F (4 of C Phrygian and 4 of C Locrian), fret 23 Gb (flat 5), fret 24 G (5).
- B string: fret 1 C (root of C Phrygian and root of C Locrian), fret 2 Db (flat 2 of C Phrygian and flat 2 of C Locrian), fret 4 Eb (flat 3 of C Phrygian and flat 3 of C Locrian), fret 6 F (4 of C Phrygian and 4 of C Locrian), fret 7 Gb (flat 5), fret 8 G (5), fret 9 Ab (flat 6 of C Phrygian and flat 6 of C Locrian), fret 11 Bb (flat 7 of C Phrygian and flat 7 of C Locrian), fret 13 C (root of C Phrygian and root of C Locrian), fret 14 Db (flat 2 of C Phrygian and flat 2 of C Locrian), fret 16 Eb (flat 3 of C Phrygian and flat 3 of C Locrian), fret 18 F (4 of C Phrygian and 4 of C Locrian), fret 19 Gb (flat 5), fret 20 G (5), fret 21 Ab (flat 6 of C Phrygian and flat 6 of C Locrian), fret 23 Bb (flat 7 of C Phrygian and flat 7 of C Locrian).
- e string: fret 1 F (4 of C Phrygian and 4 of C Locrian), fret 2 Gb (flat 5), fret 3 G (5), fret 4 Ab (flat 6 of C Phrygian and flat 6 of C Locrian), fret 6 Bb (flat 7 of C Phrygian and flat 7 of C Locrian), fret 8 C (root of C Phrygian and root of C Locrian), fret 9 Db (flat 2 of C Phrygian and flat 2 of C Locrian), fret 11 Eb (flat 3 of C Phrygian and flat 3 of C Locrian), fret 13 F (4 of C Phrygian and 4 of C Locrian), fret 14 Gb (flat 5), fret 15 G (5), fret 16 Ab (flat 6 of C Phrygian and flat 6 of C Locrian), fret 18 Bb (flat 7 of C Phrygian and flat 7 of C Locrian), fret 20 C (root of C Phrygian and root of C Locrian), fret 21 Db (flat 2 of C Phrygian and flat 2 of C Locrian), fret 23 Eb (flat 3 of C Phrygian and flat 3 of C Locrian).
Both scales above are drawn on one guitar fretboard in the key of C. Notes belonging to both are drawn as a split two-color dot, so the notes they share and the notes unique to each are visible in one picture.
How the formulas differ
Scale degrees are the key-independent way to compare two scales — these stay the same in every key, and they are what actually distinguishes one scale from another.
| Scale | Degrees |
|---|---|
| Phrygian | R · b2 · b3 · 4 · 5 · b6 · b7 |
| Locrian | R · b2 · b3 · 4 · b5 · b6 · b7 |
Notes in common
| Note | In Phrygian | In Locrian |
|---|---|---|
| C | R | R |
| Db | b2 | b2 |
| Eb | b3 | b3 |
| F | 4 | 4 |
| Ab | b6 | b6 |
| Bb | b7 | b7 |
Notes that differ
- Only in the phrygian: G (5)
- Only in the locrian: Gb (b5)