C Mixolydian mode on mandolin
The C Mixolydian mode has seven notes: C, D, E, F, G, A and B♭ (1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7). A major scale with a flat 7th: the sound of rock, blues-rock and country over a dominant 7 chord. It fits riffs built on I, ♭VII and IV, like A, G and D.
| Note | C | D | E | F | G | A | B♭ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | 1 (root) | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ♭7 |
| Step to the next | whole | whole | half | whole | whole | half | whole |
3 positions to learn it in
Each stretch here is a few frets you can play without moving the hand: the open position, then from the root on the lowest string. Press Play to hear each one, up and back down.
Chords that go with the C Mixolydian mode
The chords on each note of the scale that use only its notes. Play over any of them and every note fits; C (C) is where it sounds at home.
| On the | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| root (C) | Chome | C7home |
| 2 (D) | Dmrestless | Dm7restless |
| 3 (E) | Edimthe edge | Em7♭5the edge |
| 4 (F) | Fthe door | Fmaj7the door |
| 5 (G) | Gmsoft fall | Gm7soft fall |
| 6 (A) | Amthe shadow | Am7the shadow |
| ♭7 (B♭) | B♭heroic | B♭maj7heroic |
Scales with the same notes
It has the same notes as the F major scale, started from its fifth note, C.
Questions
What notes are in the C Mixolydian mode?
C, D, E, F, G, A and B♭. Its intervals from the root are 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7, and the steps between its notes are W W H W W H W (W a whole step, H a half step).
What chords go with the C Mixolydian mode?
The chords made only of its notes: C, Dm, Edim, F, Gm, Am and B♭, and as seventh chords C7, Dm7, Em7♭5, Fmaj7, Gm7, Am7 and B♭maj7. C is home: C is the chord it sounds most settled over.
The Mixolydian mode in every key
Other scales in C
C majorC minorC minor pentatonicC major pentatonicC bluesC DorianC LydianC PhrygianC harmonic minorC melodic minorC Phrygian dominant
Practise it on a sheet of your own in the practice sheet maker, with a metronome and a drone. Every scale: mandolin scales. This scale on guitar, bass, ukulele and banjo.