The Mixolydian mode is a major scale with a b7. It sounds dominant and bluesy - the natural sound of unresolved dominant 7th chords. Essential for blues, rock, and funk.
Scale Formula
1 2 3 4 5 6 b7 - major with flat 7th. Semitone pattern: W W H W W H W
Fretboard (C Mixolydian)
Toggle to interval view and locate the b7. Compare it to the natural 7 in Ionian -- that single fret difference is what separates major from dominant.
Common Chords
Major triad (1 3 5), Dominant 7th (1 3 5 b7), Dominant 9th (1 3 5 b7 9), Dominant 13th.
Diatonic Harmony
Improvisation Context
Play over dominant 7th chords, especially when they function as a V chord or in blues contexts. The b7 is the defining interval that creates the dominant sound.
Characteristic Note
The b7 is the defining note. In P4 tuning it sits at the same fret on the string two above the root (a minor 7th = 10 semitones = 2 strings). This is the foundation of shell voicings: root and b7 are a straight barre across two strings.
Practice
Play C Mixolydian over a C7 drone. Then compare it with C Ionian over a Cmaj7 - the only difference is B vs Bb, but the mood shifts from resolved to bluesy. Practice improvising over a 12-bar blues in C using Mixolydian, targeting the b7 on strong beats. Try the classic rock vamp: C7 to Bb/C (I7 to bVII/I).