A Mixolydian ♭6 scale: notes, chords and guitar positions

Scale

Labels

Click

bpm

DroneE2

Drums

Bass

Colour key

R234p567

Each colour is a scale degree, counted from the key. A ♭ or ♯ note keeps its degree's colour: ♭3 is still amber.

A Mixolydian ♭6

♭6 with a major 3rd. Major but sombre.

Where you hear it: Over 7♭13 chords.

Key signature 1♭ (B♭)as F major / D minor, plus B♮ C♯ written in

Step pattern W – W – H – W – H – W – W

Parent scale: D melodic minor (starts on its 5th degree)
Compared with A major: ♭6 F♯ → F, ♭7 G♯ → G
Compared with A natural minor: ♯3 C → C♯

Hover to compare

A Mixolydian ♭6 on the guitar

R234p567

Shapes

Extra notes

Pick a position below to outline it on the neck.

in the pentatonic r 2 3 5 ♭6: playedother notes of Mixolydian ♭6: not playedPlay runs up the position from its lowest note and back down; Sample melody plays a short tune using only its notes. Tap a position's name to see it on the neck.

Modes with the same notes as A Mixolydian ♭6

D Melodic minor1st degree E Dorian ♭22nd degree F Lydian augmented3rd degree G Lydian dominant4th degree A Mixolydian ♭65th degree B Locrian ♮26th degree D♭ Altered7th degree

Every chord in A Mixolydian ♭6

A71/20
easyopen
Bm7♭51/15
easyfret 2· shell
C♯m7♭51/12
easyfret 4· shell
Dm(maj7)1/7
mediumfret 5
Em71/17
easyopen
Fmaj7♯51/10
easyfret 1· shell
G71/22
easyopen

Each chord stacks every other note of the scale (root, 3rd, 5th, 7th). Tap a row to hear it.

Iconic progressions in A Mixolydian ♭6

A few well-known chord loops that bring out this scale’s sound. Play one through, or tap a chord to hear it.

I – iv – I
A major tonic with a minor iv. The ♭6 is the 3rd of the iv, so the sad borrowed chord is exactly the mode’s colour note.
I – iv – ♭VII – I
Major I, minor iv, major ♭VII, back to I: two rising fourths in the roots, and a major home with minor-key shading.

Sus and extension chords from each chord

From A you can go through the 2nd of the scale to sus2 and 9 chords, through the 4th to sus4 and 11, and so on. All seven chords of A Mixolydian ♭6.

Hover or focus a small bubble for what it is, click to keep the note open.

I A7

Notes: A C♯ E G

open · 1/13

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

ii° Bm7♭5

Notes: B D F A

fret 2 · 1/9

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

iii° C♯m7♭5

Notes: C♯ E G B

fret 4 · 1/9

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

iv Dm(maj7)

Notes: D F A C♯

fret 5 · 1/5

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

v Em7

Notes: E G B D

open · 1/12

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭VI+ Fmaj7♯5

Notes: F A C♯ E

fret 1 · 1/6

Closest shape: leaves out a colour note.

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭VII G7

Notes: G B D F

open · 1/13

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

Scale

Labels

Click

bpm

DroneE2

Drums

Bass

Colour key

R234p567

Each colour is a scale degree, counted from the key. A ♭ or ♯ note keeps its degree's colour: ♭3 is still amber.

A Mixolydian ♭6

♭6 with a major 3rd. Major but sombre.

Where you hear it: Over 7♭13 chords.

Key signature 1♭ (B♭)as F major / D minor, plus B♮ C♯ written in

Step pattern W – W – H – W – H – W – W

Parent scale: D melodic minor (starts on its 5th degree)
Compared with A major: ♭6 F♯ → F, ♭7 G♯ → G
Compared with A natural minor: ♯3 C → C♯

Hover to compare

A Mixolydian ♭6 on the guitar

R234p567

Shapes

Extra notes

Pick a position below to outline it on the neck.

Modes with the same notes as A Mixolydian ♭6

D Melodic minor1st degree E Dorian ♭22nd degree F Lydian augmented3rd degree G Lydian dominant4th degree A Mixolydian ♭65th degree B Locrian ♮26th degree D♭ Altered7th degree

Every chord in A Mixolydian ♭6

A71/20
easyopen
Bm7♭51/15
easyfret 2· shell
C♯m7♭51/12
easyfret 4· shell
Dm(maj7)1/7
mediumfret 5
Em71/17
easyopen
Fmaj7♯51/10
easyfret 1· shell
G71/22
easyopen

Each chord stacks every other note of the scale (root, 3rd, 5th, 7th). Tap a row to hear it.

Iconic progressions in A Mixolydian ♭6

A few well-known chord loops that bring out this scale’s sound. Play one through, or tap a chord to hear it.

I – iv – I
A major tonic with a minor iv. The ♭6 is the 3rd of the iv, so the sad borrowed chord is exactly the mode’s colour note.
I – iv – ♭VII – I
Major I, minor iv, major ♭VII, back to I: two rising fourths in the roots, and a major home with minor-key shading.

Sus and extension chords from each chord

From A you can go through the 2nd of the scale to sus2 and 9 chords, through the 4th to sus4 and 11, and so on. All seven chords of A Mixolydian ♭6.

Hover or focus a small bubble for what it is, click to keep the note open.

I A7

Notes: A C♯ E G

open · 1/13

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

ii° Bm7♭5

Notes: B D F A

fret 2 · 1/9

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

iii° C♯m7♭5

Notes: C♯ E G B

fret 4 · 1/9

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

iv Dm(maj7)

Notes: D F A C♯

fret 5 · 1/5

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

v Em7

Notes: E G B D

open · 1/12

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭VI+ Fmaj7♯5

Notes: F A C♯ E

fret 1 · 1/6

Closest shape: leaves out a colour note.

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭VII G7

Notes: G B D F

open · 1/13

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

Scales and modes

Colour key

A Mixolydian ♭6

A Mixolydian ♭6 on the guitar

Modes with the same notes as A Mixolydian ♭6

Every chord in A Mixolydian ♭6

Iconic progressions in A Mixolydian ♭6

I – iv – I

I – iv – ♭VII – I

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Scales and modes

Colour key

A Mixolydian ♭6

A Mixolydian ♭6 on the guitar

Modes with the same notes as A Mixolydian ♭6

Every chord in A Mixolydian ♭6

Iconic progressions in A Mixolydian ♭6

I – iv – I

I – iv – ♭VII – I

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour keyi

A Mixolydian ♭6

A Mixolydian ♭6 on the guitari

Modes with the same notes as A Mixolydian ♭6

Every chord in A Mixolydian ♭6

Iconic progressions in A Mixolydian ♭6

I – iv – I

I – iv – ♭VII – I

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour keyi

A Mixolydian ♭6

A Mixolydian ♭6 on the guitari

Modes with the same notes as A Mixolydian ♭6

Every chord in A Mixolydian ♭6

Iconic progressions in A Mixolydian ♭6

I – iv – I

I – iv – ♭VII – I

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour key

A Mixolydian ♭6 on the guitar

Colour key

A Mixolydian ♭6 on the guitar