This is from the Jamzone. We are soloing with the E Phrygian Mode over the 2-5-1 backing progression in the Key of C major. We use fingerpicking and take a look at chords / note stacking.

Make sure you've practiced the Phrygian mode at open position and fret 12. We shall be alternating between both positions here.

Like the Dorian mode, the Phrygian mode is also considered minor because it has an interval of a minor third between E (root note) and G (third note).

Note Stacking / Chords

Notice that we don't just use melodies - i.e. one single note after another. We also use a lot of combined notes - i.e. Chords (notes played together). The Em7 chord is particularly used. This chord strongly emphasizes the phrygian mode.

You can play a chord outright by just playing all the notes together in 1 go. Or you can stack notes up into forming a chord. That simply means playing the chord one note at a time, but keeping the previous notes sounding out. Fingerpicking is a good way to do this because you have a lot of control over your note selections. For this reason, fingerpicking is pretty common in Jazz music.

Let's look at the very start to see a typical use of chords / stacking:

Right from the start hold the notes of the Em7 chord. Notice that here the chord is played one note at a time. So this is stacking. It's important to leave all the previous notes sounding. By the end of the sequence look what notes are playing:

G - E - G - D - All these notes are part of the Em7 chord (E - G - B - D). There may not be a B note, but that doesn't matter. You don't have to be extremely religious about playing every note of a chord when making melodies!

Notice that straight after that we play 3 notes in 1 go (a typical chord pluck): Em7 (no 5th)

There are some other chords / stacks used later in the tune at both open and fret 12 positions.

By using the Em7 like this you are stamping 'phrygian mode' all over the melody because Em7 is the 'phrygian chord' - i.e. the 3rd chord in the original Harmonized scale. Check the associated article to see more on this.

Of course, you can form other note combinations and chords. This will provide pleasant shifts in melody, but if you centre around the Em7 you will get a more 'phrygian feel'.