Phrygian

The semitone above the root

The article The modes through familiar pieces describes: Phrygian is minor with a lowered second degree, in E Phrygian an F instead of F♯. The semitone directly above the root is the most striking feature of all and carries the Spanish flamenco sound. For listening the article gives a question: does it sound like minor, and is the second note suspiciously close to the root? Phrygian.

The page Circle of fifths assigns Phrygian to the third degree of C major, the minor chord Em. On the white keys the mode therefore begins on E.

The Andalusian cadence

As a model example the article names the Andalusian cadential close: the descending sequence A minor–G–F–E, omnipresent in Spanish music. The final chord is major, the root is E, and the semitone from F to E gives the progression its unmistakable pull. Hear the sequence:

The final chord E major is not an authentic cadence in A minor; the sequence ends on the dominant and stays open. For comparison see Full close (authentic cadence).

Common mistakes

• Taking Phrygian for E minor: With F♯ instead of F it is E minor.
• Losing the reference note: Without a drone nobody hears the mode.
• Leaving out the semitone above the root: It is the thing itself, not a side effect.