E Mixolydian mode on guitar
The E Mixolydian mode has seven notes: E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯ and D (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 | E | F♯ | G♯ | A | B | C♯ | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 E Mixolydian mode
The chords on each note of the scale that use only its notes. Play over any of them and every note fits; E (E) is where it sounds at home.
| On the | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| root (E) | Ehome | E7home |
| 2 (F♯) | F♯mrestless | F♯m7restless |
| 3 (G♯) | G♯dimthe edge | G♯m7♭5the edge |
| 4 (A) | Athe door | Amaj7the door |
| 5 (B) | Bmsoft fall | Bm7soft fall |
| 6 (C♯) | C♯mthe shadow | C♯m7the shadow |
| ♭7 (D) | Dheroic | Dmaj7heroic |
Scales with the same notes
It has the same notes as the A major scale, started from its fifth note, E.
Questions
What notes are in the E Mixolydian mode?
E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯ and D. 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 E Mixolydian mode?
The chords made only of its notes: E, F♯m, G♯dim, A, Bm, C♯m and D, and as seventh chords E7, F♯m7, G♯m7♭5, Amaj7, Bm7, C♯m7 and Dmaj7. E is home: E is the chord it sounds most settled over.
The Mixolydian mode in every key
Other scales in E
E majorE minorE minor pentatonicE major pentatonicE bluesE DorianE LydianE PhrygianE harmonic minorE melodic minorE 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.