Mixolydian Scale Guitar

The Mixolydian scale is the major scale with a flat 7th: 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7, or whole–whole–half–whole–whole–half–whole. G Mixolydian is G A B C D E F: G major with F♯ lowered to F. That one note is why it fits a G7 chord.

Play G Mixolydian on the fretboard

Only the 7th changes. G major has F♯, G Mixolydian has F.

The root is the open G string. Click any note to hear it on guitar, switch fret windows to move up the neck, or press Play scale for the notes in the current window.

Standard tuning runs from low E to high E. Dots name pitches, not fingers. Frets 0–4 are one view of these seven notes, not the only fingering: fret an F♯ and the scale is G major instead. Source: Open Music Theory: diatonic modes.

Chords in G Mixolydian

Build a triad on each note of G Mixolydian and you get seven chords. The lowered 7th turns the V chord minor (Dm) and adds F major as ♭VII. G – F – C (I – ♭VII – IV) is the move most players reach for. Tap a chord to hear it.

Seven triads in G Mixolydian
Degree	Chord	Notes
I	G	G B D
ii	Am	A C E
iii	Bdim	B D F
IV	C	C E G
v	Dm	D F A
vi	Em	E G B
♭VII	F	F A C

Look up a shape in the chord finder, or start from G – F – C in the chord progression generator.

Mixolydian vs major, Dorian and the blues

Mixolydian vs major: Only the 7th changes. G major has F♯, G Mixolydian has F. Use the two buttons under the fretboard to hear it.

Mixolydian vs Dorian: G Dorian is G A B♭ C D E F. It shares the flat 7th but also flattens the 3rd, so it sounds minor. Mixolydian keeps the major 3rd (B). See Dorian scale guitar.

Mixolydian and the blues: The blues scale also leans on the flat 7th, but drops the major 3rd. Mixolydian gives you the flat 7th while keeping B, so it sits on a dominant 7 chord like G7 (G B D F).

G Mixolydian in three fret windows

G Mixolydian notes from the open strings through fret 4 — Frets 0–4. Open G is the root. F is at fret 1 on both E strings and fret 3 on the D string.

G Mixolydian notes on frets 4 to 8 — Frets 4–8. The root returns on the D string at fret 5 and the B string at fret 8. F is at fret 8 on the A string and fret 6 on the B string.

G Mixolydian notes on frets 8 to 12 — Frets 8–12. G is at fret 10 on the A string and fret 12 on the G string. F is at fret 8 on the A string and fret 10 on the G string.

Mixolydian scale questions

What is the Mixolydian scale on guitar?

The fifth mode of the major scale: a major scale with a flat 7th (1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7). G Mixolydian uses the notes of C major starting from G.

What chords go with the Mixolydian scale?

The I chord as a dominant 7 (G7), and progressions that use the ♭VII, such as G – F – C. Play all seven chords in the table above.

What is the difference between Mixolydian and the major scale?

One note. The 7th is a half step lower: F instead of F♯ in G.

How do I play Mixolydian in another key?

Keep the same shapes and move them so the root dots land on the new key's note. For A Mixolydian, every dot moves up two frets.

Is Mixolydian major or minor?

Major. It keeps the major 3rd (B in G); only the 7th is flattened.