Mixolydian b6 (also called Mixolydian b13 or Hindu scale) is a dominant scale with a dark 6th degree. It creates tension between the major 3rd and the minor 6th, giving it a bittersweet, dramatic quality.
Scale Formula
1 2 3 4 5 b6 b7 - Mixolydian with flat 6. Semitone pattern: W W H W H W W
Fretboard (C Mixolydian b6)
Toggle to interval view and find the b6. It is the only note that differs from standard Mixolydian, but it dramatically darkens the dominant sound.
Common Chords
Dominant 7th (1 3 5 b7), Dom 7th b13 (1 3 5 b7 b13), Dom 9 b13.
Diatonic Harmony
Improvisation Context
Play over dominant 7th (b13) chords. Common over V chords resolving to minor, and in film/TV scoring for dramatic tension.
Practice
Play C Mixolydian b6 over a C7 drone. Compare it with regular Mixolydian - the b6 (Ab vs A) adds a melancholy tinge to the dominant sound. Apply it to a V-i resolution: play G Mixolydian b6 over G7 resolving to Cm. The b6 of G (Eb) is a chord tone of Cm, which creates a smooth voice-leading connection into the tonic.