Colour key
R234p567Each colour is a scale degree, counted from the key. A ♭ or ♯ note keeps its degree's colour: ♭3 is still amber.
A Mixolydian
♭7 on an otherwise major scale. Bluesy-bright, rock and folk swagger.
Where you hear it: I – ♭VII – IV vamps; dominant 7 chords.
Step pattern W – W – H – W – W – H – W
- Relative major: D major (this mode starts on its 5th degree)
- Relative minor: B natural minor (starts on the 6th degree of D major)
- Compared with A major: ♭7 G♯ → G
- Compared with A natural minor: ♯3 C → C♯, ♯6 F → F♯
A Mixolydian on the guitar
Pick a position below to outline it on the neck.
in the major pentatonic: playedother notes of Mixolydian: 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
Every chord in A Mixolydian
- A71/21easyopen
- Bm71/17easyopen
- C♯m7♭51/12easyfret 4· shell
- Dmaj71/21easyopen
- Em71/21easyopen
- F♯m71/13easyfret 2· shell
- Gmaj71/22easyopen
Each chord stacks every other note of the scale (root, 3rd, 5th, 7th). Tap a row to hear it.
Iconic progressions in A Mixolydian
A few well-known chord loops that bring out this scale’s sound. Play one through, or tap a chord to hear it.
I – ♭VII – IV
I – ♭VII – IV, the rock and folk staple (the “Sweet Home Alabama” riff). The ♭VII is the note that is not in plain major.
I – v – ♭VII – IV
Mixolydian has a minor v, not a major V. A minor v in the loop is the sign you are in Mixolydian and not major.
♭VII – IV – I
The same chords turned round, arriving on I from the IV. It sounds relaxed, like an amen ending, because the IV steps straight onto I.
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.
Hover or focus a small bubble for what it is, click to keep the note open.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.