Harmonizing Mixolydian scales into chords
The Mixolydian mode is often played over dominant seventh chords. It can also be harmonized into other chords, including these presented here. Notice how the third (diminished instead of minor) and seventh degrees (major instead of diminshed and lowered a half step) differ from its Major scale counterpart.
Three-note chords
Tonality |
Major |
Minor |
Diminished |
Major |
Minor |
Minor |
Major |
G Mixolydian Scale Three-note chords
Degrees |
I |
iim |
iii° |
IV |
v |
vi |
bVII |
Notes |
G |
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F |
Chords |
G |
Am |
Bdim |
C |
Dm |
Em |
F |
Notes in chord |
G-B-D |
A-C-E |
B-D-F |
C-E-G |
D-F-A |
E-G-B |
F-A-C |
G# / Ab Mixolydian Scale Three-note chords
Degrees |
I |
iim |
iii° |
IV |
v |
vi |
bVII |
Notes |
G# |
A# |
B# |
C# |
D# |
F |
F# |
Chords |
G# |
A#m |
B#dim |
C# |
D#m |
Fm |
F# |
Notes in chord |
G#-B#-D# |
A#-C#-F |
B#-D#-F# |
C#-F-G# |
D#-F#-A# |
F-G#-B# |
F#-A#-C# |
A Mixolydian Scale Three-note chords
Degrees |
I |
iim |
iii° |
IV |
v |
vi |
bVII |
Notes |
A |
B |
C# |
D |
E |
F# |
G |
Chords |
A |
Bm |
C#dim |
D |
Em |
F#m |
G |
Notes in chord |
A-C#-E |
B-D-F# |
C#-E-G |
D-F#-A |
E-G-B |
F#-A-C# |
G-B-D |
A# / Bb Mixolydian Scale Three-note chords
Degrees |
I |
iim |
iii° |
IV |
v |
vi |
bVII |
Notes |
A# |
B# |
C## |
D# |
F |
G |
G# |
Chords |
A# |
B#m |
C##dim |
D# |
Fm |
Gm |
G# |
Notes in chord |
A#-C##-F |
B#-D#-G |
C##-F-G# |
D#-G-A# |
F-G#-B# |
G-A#-C## |
G#-B#-D# |
B Mixolydian Scale Three-note chords
Degrees |
I |
iim |
iii° |
IV |
v |
vi |
bVII |
Notes |
B |
C# |
D# |
E |
F# |
G# |
A |
Chords |
B |
C#m |
D#dim |
E |
F#m |
G#m |
A |
Notes in chord |
B-D-F# |
C#-E-G# |
D#-F#-A |
E-G#-B |
F#-A-C# |
G#-B-D# |
A-C#-E |
C Mixolydian Scale Three-note chords
Degrees |
I |
iim |
iii° |
IV |
v |
vi |
bVII |
Notes |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
A |
Bb |
Chords |
C |
Dm |
Edim |
F |
Gm |
Am |
Bb |
Notes in chord |
C-E-G |
D-F-A |
E-G-Bb |
F-A-C |
G-Bb-D |
A-C-E |
Bb-D-F |
C# / Db Mixolydian Scale Three-note chords
Degrees |
I |
iim |
iii° |
IV |
v |
vi |
bVII |
Notes |
C# |
D# |
E# |
F# |
G# |
A# |
B |
Chords |
C# |
D#m |
E#dim |
F# |
G#m |
A#m |
B |
Notes in chord |
C#-E#-G# |
D#-F#-A# |
E#-G#-B |
F#-A#-C# |
G#-B-D# |
A#-C#-E# |
B-D#-F# |
D Mixolydian Scale Three-note chords
Degrees |
I |
iim |
iii° |
IV |
v |
vi |
bVII |
Notes |
D |
E |
F# |
G |
A |
B |
C |
Chords |
D |
Em |
F#dim |
G |
Am |
Bm |
C |
Notes in chord |
D-F#-A |
E-G-B |
F#-A-C |
G-B-D |
A-C-E |
B-D-F# |
C-E-G |
D# / Eb Mixolydian Scale Three-note chords
Degrees |
I |
iim |
iii° |
IV |
v |
vi |
bVII |
Notes |
D# |
E# |
F## |
G# |
A# |
B# |
C# |
Chords |
D# |
E#m |
F##dim |
G# |
A#m |
B#m |
C# |
Notes in chord |
D#-F##-A# |
E#-G#-B# |
F##-A#-C# |
G#-B#-D# |
A#-C#-E# |
B#-D#-G |
C#-E#-G# |
E Mixolydian Scale Three-note chords
Degrees |
I |
iim |
iii° |
IV |
v |
vi |
bVII |
Notes |
E |
F# |
G# |
A |
B |
C# |
D |
Chords |
E |
F#m |
G#dim |
A |
Bm |
C#m |
D |
Notes in chord |
E-G#-B |
F#-B-C# |
G#-B-D |
A-C#-E |
B-D-F# |
C#-E-G# |
D-F#-A |
F Mixolydian Scale Three-note chords
Degrees |
I |
iim |
iii° |
IV |
v |
vi |
bVII |
Notes |
F |
G |
A |
Bb |
C |
D |
Eb |
Chords |
F |
Gm |
Adim |
Bb |
Cm |
Dm |
Eb |
Notes in chord |
F-A-C |
G-Bb-D |
A-C-D |
Bb-D-F |
C-Eb-G |
D-F-A |
Eb-G-Bb |
F# / Gb Mixolydian Scale Three-note chords
Degrees |
I |
iim |
iii° |
IV |
v |
vi |
bVII |
Notes |
F# |
G# |
A# |
B |
C# |
D# |
E |
Chords |
F# |
G#m |
A#dim |
B |
C#m |
D#m |
E |
Notes in chord |
F#-A#-C# |
G#-B-D# |
A#-C#-D# |
B-D#-F# |
C#-E-G# |
D#-F#-A# |
E-G#-B |
Understanding the table and its symbols
The tables give plenty of information and if you didn't grasp it all please read on.
Degrees: Referring to the relations of the notes in the scale on a general basis. These have Roman numerals, why is explained below.
Notes: Simply referring to the notes in the particular scale.
Chords: Referring to the chord with the same tonic as the note.
Notes in chord: Simply referring to the notes belonging to the chord.
Roman numerals: Roman numerals indicate chord categories. Uppercase Roman numerals represent major chords while lowercase Roman numerals represent minor chords.
°: The degree symbol represents diminished (dim).
B#: The Cdim chord is written out as B#dim for the sake of consistency.
Notes
The Mixolydian mode is characterized by the flat 7th degree instead of the major 7th. This affects in particular the chord which root is the seventh note in the scale. For example, the G# major chord would turn into a G major chord when A Mixolydian is the musical setting. From this, the following "Mixolydian sounding" progressions can be obtained:
- C - Bb - F – C
- D - C - F - D
- E - D - G - E
- F - Eb - Ab - F
- G - F - C - G
- A - G - D - A
- B - A - E – B
Notice that these progressions are built on the same formula (I - bVII - IV - I) and is most common in the rock genre.