STRINGSCALES

C mixolydian Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E at frets 0, 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12

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

D string: D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C, D at frets 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12

G string: G, A, Bb, C, D, E, F, G at frets 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12

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

High E string: E, F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E at frets 0, 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12

Pick a root note

Pick a scale

C 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:

C

I

Cmaj
D

ii

Dm
E

iii°

Edim
F

IV

Fmaj
G

v

Gm
A

vi

Am
B♭

bVII

B♭maj

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

Same notes, different mode

C 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.

D minor · relative minorE locrianF major · relative majorG dorianA phrygianBb lydian

mixolydian in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • Aim at the flat 7th (Bb) over a dominant chord: it is the note that makes C7 sound at rest instead of leading anywhere.
  • Bluesify it: bend the 3rd (E), add the flat 3rd as a passing note, and C mixolydian becomes roots rock vocabulary immediately.
  • Vamp I to bVII (Bb) major chords (both in the scale) for the classic rock and jam-band mixolydian groove in C.
  • Over a static 7th chord, alternate mixolydian runs with the C major pentatonic to lighten the dominant color.

How to play C mixolydian on guitar

Five open strings fall in the scale, and open G is the fifth, so a G pedal runs under the whole key untouched. Lowest root is fret 8 on the low E, and one more waits at fret 1 on the B string. Box one off that low root ends at fret 12, so the second shape covers everything from there. Chord v is Gm rather than a major triad, meaning the key has no functional dominant to resolve. One flat in the signature.

homeall scalesaboutfaqpricingmicrotonalterms & conditionsprivacy policycookie policy© 2026 StringScales. All rights reserved.