A Mixolydian mode on guitar
The A Mixolydian mode has seven notes: A, B, C♯, D, E, F♯ and G (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 | A | B | C♯ | D | E | F♯ | G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | 1 (root) | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ♭7 |
| Step to the next | whole | whole | half | whole | whole | half | whole |
5 positions to learn it in
On guitar a seven-note scale is learnt in five shapes, each built round one of the open chord shapes C, A, G, E and D. Together they cover the neck. Press Play to hear each one, up and back down.
Chords that go with the A Mixolydian mode
The chords on each note of the scale that use only its notes. Play over any of them and every note fits; A (A) is where it sounds at home.
| On the | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| root (A) | Ahome | A7home |
| 2 (B) | Bmrestless | Bm7restless |
| 3 (C♯) | C♯dimthe edge | C♯m7♭5the edge |
| 4 (D) | Dthe door | Dmaj7the door |
| 5 (E) | Emsoft fall | Em7soft fall |
| 6 (F♯) | F♯mthe shadow | F♯m7the shadow |
| ♭7 (G) | Gheroic | Gmaj7heroic |
Scales with the same notes
It has the same notes as the D major scale, started from its fifth note, A.
Questions
What notes are in the A Mixolydian mode?
A, B, C♯, D, E, F♯ and G. 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 A Mixolydian mode?
The chords made only of its notes: A, Bm, C♯dim, D, Em, F♯m and G, and as seventh chords A7, Bm7, C♯m7♭5, Dmaj7, Em7, F♯m7 and Gmaj7. A is home: A is the chord it sounds most settled over.
The Mixolydian mode in every key
Other scales in A
A majorA minorA minor pentatonicA major pentatonicA bluesA DorianA LydianA PhrygianA harmonic minorA melodic minorA Phrygian dominant
Practise it on a sheet of your own in the practice sheet maker, with a metronome and a drone. Every scale: guitar scales. This scale on bass, ukulele, mandolin and banjo.