STRINGSCALES

B♭ mixolydian Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: F, G, Ab, Bb, C, D, Eb at frets 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11

A string: Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab at frets 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11

D string: D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C, D at frets 0, 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12

G string: G, Ab, Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G at frets 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12

B string: C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb at frets 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11

High E string: F, G, Ab, Bb, C, D, Eb at frets 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11

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Bb mixolydian

The mixolydian mode is a major scale with a flat 7th, the mode of the fifth degree. It is the sound of the dominant 7th chord stretched into a scale, which makes it the working scale of blues rock, country twang and jam band vamps. Anywhere a song sits on a 7th chord without resolving, mixolydian is home base.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

B♭

I

B♭maj
C

ii

Cm
D

iii°

Ddim
E♭

IV

E♭maj
F

v

Fm
G

vi

Gm
A♭

bVII

A♭maj

Characteristic note: Ab (b7), the flat seventh that makes mixolydian the go-to scale over dominant chords.

Same notes, different mode

Bb mixolydian uses the same notes as the scales below. Start from a different note and you get a new mode built on the very same note set.

C minor · relative minorD locrianEb major · relative majorF dorianG phrygianAb lydian

mixolydian in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • Aim at the flat 7th (Ab) over a dominant chord: it is the note that makes Bb7 sound at rest instead of leading anywhere.
  • Bluesify it: bend the 3rd (D), add the flat 3rd as a passing note, and Bb mixolydian becomes roots rock vocabulary immediately.
  • Vamp I to bVII (Ab) major chords (both in the scale) for the classic rock and jam-band mixolydian groove in Bb.
  • Over a static 7th chord, alternate mixolydian runs with the Bb major pentatonic to lighten the dominant color.

How to play B♭ mixolydian on guitar

Two open strings land in the scale. Open D is the major third and open G the major sixth, neither of them root or fifth, so no pedal is available. Nut-side root sits on the A string at fret 1, while fret 6 on the low E is the lowest-pitched one. Box one built from fret 6 stops at fret 10, meaning low-neck playing leans on that A string root. Capo at fret 1 yields A fingering, so open shapes cover the key.

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