The i–bII–i–bII chord progression

Phrygian menace. The half-step bII sounds sinister.

Quick answer

i–bII–i–bII in E minor is Em F Em F.

Key

What the i–bII–i–bII progression sounds like

The half-step bII sounds sinister. In E minor it's Em F Em F.

You'll find it in Metal songwriting.

Scales that fit i–bII–i–bII

Over this progression in E, the best-fitting scales are E Phrygian, F Lydian, C Major (Ionian). Put your own chords into the scale finder to see more.

i–bII–i–bII in every key

The i–bII–i–bII progression in all 12 minor keys
Key	Chords
A minor	Am Bb Am Bb
E minor	Em F Em F
B minor	Bm C Bm C
F# minor	F#m G F#m G
C# minor	C#m D C#m D
G# minor	G#m A G#m A
D# minor	D#m E D#m E
Bb minor	Bbm Cb Bbm Cb
F minor	Fm Gb Fm Gb
C minor	Cm Db Cm Db
G minor	Gm Ab Gm Ab
D minor	Dm Eb Dm Eb

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Common questions

What are the chords in the i–bII–i–bII progression?

In E minor the i–bII–i–bII progression is Em F Em F. The pattern is the same in every key; the table above lists all 12.

What scale goes with i–bII–i–bII?

In E, the E Phrygian fits best. F Lydian and C Major (Ionian) add different colors.

Last updated November 14, 2026.