B Mixolydian mode on guitar
The B Mixolydian mode has seven notes: B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯ and A (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 | B | C♯ | D♯ | E | F♯ | G♯ | A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 B Mixolydian mode
The chords on each note of the scale that use only its notes. Play over any of them and every note fits; B (B) is where it sounds at home.
| On the | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| root (B) | Bhome | B7home |
| 2 (C♯) | C♯mrestless | C♯m7restless |
| 3 (D♯) | D♯dimthe edge | D♯m7♭5the edge |
| 4 (E) | Ethe door | Emaj7the door |
| 5 (F♯) | F♯msoft fall | F♯m7soft fall |
| 6 (G♯) | G♯mthe shadow | G♯m7the shadow |
| ♭7 (A) | Aheroic | Amaj7heroic |
Scales with the same notes
It has the same notes as the E major scale, started from its fifth note, B.
Questions
What notes are in the B Mixolydian mode?
B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯ and A. 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 B Mixolydian mode?
The chords made only of its notes: B, C♯m, D♯dim, E, F♯m, G♯m and A, and as seventh chords B7, C♯m7, D♯m7♭5, Emaj7, F♯m7, G♯m7 and Amaj7. B is home: B is the chord it sounds most settled over.
The Mixolydian mode in every key
Other scales in B
B majorB minorB minor pentatonicB major pentatonicB bluesB DorianB LydianB PhrygianB harmonic minorB melodic minorB 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.