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A mixolydian pentatonic Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, G, A, C#, D, E at frets 0, 3, 5, 9, 10, 12

A string: A, C#, D, E, G, A at frets 0, 4, 5, 7, 10, 12

D string: D, E, G, A, C#, D at frets 0, 2, 5, 7, 11, 12

G string: G, A, C#, D, E, G at frets 0, 2, 6, 7, 9, 12

B string: C#, D, E, G, A at frets 2, 3, 5, 8, 10

High E string: E, G, A, C#, D, E at frets 0, 3, 5, 9, 10, 12

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A mixolydian pentatonic

The mixolydian pentatonic, also catalogued as the Indian pentatonic, is root, major 3rd, 4th, 5th and flat 7th: a dominant 7th chord plus the 4th. It gives you the mixolydian sound in five notes, ideal over a static 7th chord vamp when the full mode feels busy. The 4th resolving down to the 3rd is its built-in melodic hook.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

A

I

C♯

III

D

IV

E

V

G

bVII

mixolydian pentatonic in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • A dominant 7th chord plus the 4th: root, III, IV, V, bVII (G); over a A7 vamp, it is all signal and no filler.
  • Resolve the 4th (D) down to the 3rd (C#) as the built-in melodic move.
  • Where the major pentatonic avoids tension, this keeps the bVII (G): use it when the chord is a 7th, not a triad.
  • Its five notes also cover the sus-to-major resolution: hold IV against the chord, then land III.

How to play A mixolydian pentatonic on guitar

Open A is a root and both E strings sound the fifth, so a drone under the line is available at either end of the guitar. Fret 5 on the low E is matched exactly by that open A, not an octave apart, which puts the two lowest roots at the same pitch. Fret 12 doubles the open root an octave up. Only the B string sits outside the key, though it still carries a root at fret 10, above the pair at fret 7 on the D and fret 2 on the G.

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