About the E Mixolydian scale
E Mixolydian is used for blues, rock, funk and jam-band grooves like "Sweet Home Alabama". Think of it as a major scale with a bluesy, dominant twist from its flat seventh.
Its notes are E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, and D. The formula is W W H W W H W. It is the fifth mode of A Major.
Also called Dominant Scale and Khamaj.
An unfretted guitar already sounds E, A, D, and B from this scale. The open low E string is the lowest E on the neck.
Positions
Playable shapes for this scale up the neck. Tap any note to hear it.
CAGED
Five shapes, each anchored to a chord form you already know, the pop and rock default that ties your scales to your chords. The outlined notes are that chord, so you can see the C, A, G, E, and D shapes inside the scale.
3NPS
3NPS stands for 3 notes per string. It lays the scale out in seven even shapes for rock and metal lead, and favors speed because the picking pattern stays consistent across every string.
7-position system
7 four-fret boxes, one per scale degree, each a single hand position with almost no shifting. The jazz and classical way, from William Leavitt's Berklee method.
Chords in the key of E Mixolydian
Expand a chord to see how to play it.
I E
ii F sharp minor
iii° G sharp diminished
IV A
v B minor
vi C sharp minor
VII D
Seventh chords in E Mixolydian
The four-note version of each chord, richer and jazzier.
I E seven
ii F sharp minor seven
iii° G sharp minor seven flat five
IV A major seven
v B minor seven
vi C sharp minor seven
VII D major seven
Progressions in E Mixolydian
Tap any chord to hear it, or play the whole progression.
Notes and intervals
| 1 | EE | Root |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | F#F♯ | Major 2nd |
| 3 | G#G♯ | Major 3rd |
| 4 | AA | Perfect 4th |
| 5 | BB | Perfect 5th |
| 6 | C#C♯ | Major 6th |
| 7 | DD | Minor 7th |
| Steps | W W H W W H W |
|---|---|
| Semitones | 2-2-1-2-2-1-2 |
| Degrees | 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7 |
Shapes
Chromatic
Circle of Fifths
Related scales
Mixolydian in other keys
Modes
The same notes, starting on a different note.