Piano scales

Scales source and guide for musicians

Mixolydian Mode

The Mixolydian Scale (or mode) is one of the modal scales. You may recognize the dominant pattern in the intervals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, b7) if compared to the dominant 7th chord with the chord steps 1, 3, 5, b7. This scale is sometimes referred to as the Dominant 7th Scale.

The Mixolydian scales are easy to learn as you can see by comparing them with the Major scales. The difference between C Major and C Mixolydian is only one note, the seventh. You may also notice that G Mixolydian relates to the scale C Major Scale; the notes are the same, only the root has changed place. In the same manner relates the C Mixolydian to the F Major. The b7 (flattened seventh) degree is the most characteristic note of the Mixolydian and should consequently be targeted to bring out the "Mixolydian" sound.

Mixolydian Scales overview
C: C, D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C
C#/Db: C#, D#, E# (F), F#, G#, A#, B, C# / Db, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, Cb (B), Db
D: D, E, F#, G, A, B, C, D
D#/Eb: D#, E# (F), F## (G), G#, A#, B# (C), C#, D# / Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb
E: E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D, E
F: F, G, A, Bb, C, D, Eb, F
F#/Gb: F#, G#, A#, B, C#, D#, E, F# / Gb, Ab, Bb, Cb (B), Db, Eb, Fb (E), Gb
G: G, A, B, C, D, E, F, G
G#/Ab: G#, A#, B# (C), C#, D#, E# (F), F#, G# / Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, Gb, Ab
A: A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G, A
A#/Bb: A#, B# (C), C## (D), D#, E# (F), F## (G), G#, A# / Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb
B: B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A, B

Intervals: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, b7
Semi-notes: 2 - 2 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 1 - 2
Formula: Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Half, Whole

Relative keys – Mixolydian and Major

The same notes can be found in different Major and Mixolydian scales:

• C Mixolydian – F Major
• C# Mixolydian – F# Major
• D Mixolydian – G Major
• D# Mixolydian – G# Major
• E Mixolydian – A Major
• F Mixolydian – A# Major
• F# Mixolydian – B Major
• G Mixolydian – C Major
• G# Mixolydian – C# Major
• A Mixolydian – D Major
• A# Mixolydian – D# Major
• B Mixolydian – E Major

If you know the Major scales, the relative Mixolydian scale starts on the fifth note. One example: C, D, E, F, G, A, B ⟶ G, A, B, C, D, E, F.

Relative keys – Mixolydian and Minor

The same notes can be found in different Minor and Mixolydian scales:

• C Mixolydian – D Minor
• C# Mixolydian – D# Minor
• D Mixolydian – E Minor
• D# Mixolydian – F Minor
• E Mixolydian – F# Minor
• F Mixolydian – G Minor
• F# Mixolydian – G# Minor
• G Mixolydian – A Minor
• G# Mixolydian – A# Minor
• A Mixolydian – B Minor
• A# Mixolydian – C Minor
• B Mixolydian – C# Minor

If you know the Natural Minor scales, the relative Mixolydian scale starts on the seventh note. One example: A, B, C, D, E, F, G ⟶ G, A, B, C, D, E, F.

The ancient heritage

The Mixolydian Scale emerged in the ancient Greece together with other scales such as Aeolian and Locrian. The Mixolydian scales is believed to be discovered by the Archaic Greek female poet Sappho and melodies based on the scale were considered suitable for females and persons with a soft temperament.

See also harmonizing Mixolydian scales into chords.

Altered Mixolydian Scale

A relevant scale is the Altered Mixolydian Scale with an added note and a raised sixth. It has the intervals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5#, 6, 7 and the semi-notes can be written as 2 - 2 - 1 - 2 - 1 - 1 - 2 - 1. An example is C Altered Mixolydian: C, D, E, F, G, G#, A, B, C.

See also Mixo-blues Scale and Mixolydian Bebop (Dominant Bebop) Scale.

Lessons

Soloing lessons - Mixolydian. A lesson with instructions and backing tracks for using the Mixolydian mode as a device soling improvisation over chords.