About the B flat Mixolydian Pentatonic (alt) scale
B flat Mixolydian Pentatonic (alt) is used for blues, rock and jam-band solos. Think of it as another five-note dominant color from the mixolydian scale. It is B♭ Major Pentatonic with the sixth raised.
Its notes are B♭, C, D, F, and A♭. The formula is W W 1½ 1½ W.
Also called Dominant Pentatonic.
The mode shares D with the guitar's open strings. A guitarist finds the lowest B♭ at the 1st fret of the A string. The mode plays in open position, a whole octave of the scale falling within the first three frets.
Positions
Playable shapes for this scale up the neck. Tap any note to hear it.
Pentatonic boxes
The five shapes blues and rock are built on, the first scale most guitarists ever solo with, one box per note up the neck.
Notes and intervals
| 1 | BbB♭ | Root |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | CC | Major 2nd |
| 3 | DD | Major 3rd |
| 4 | FF | Perfect 5th |
| 5 | AbA♭ | Minor 7th |
| Steps | W W 1½ 1½ W |
|---|---|
| Semitones | 2-2-3-3-2 |
| Degrees | 1 2 3 5 ♭7 |
Shapes
Chromatic
Circle of Fifths
Related scales
Mixolydian Pentatonic (alt) in other keys
Modes
The same notes, starting on a different note.
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