GuitarManac

B Mixolydian scale

Notes in the scaleTap one to hear it and find it on the neck

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. ♭7
Key
CD♭DE♭EFF♯GA♭AB♭B
Scale

Every B Mixolydian note on the neck.

3579121517EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EG♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABD♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯A
B Mixolydian scale guide

The B Mixolydian scale

Mixolydian is a major scale with a flat 7th. It fits over dominant 7th chords, so it is the go-to sound for blues rock, classic rock riffs and jam bands.

It uses the same notes as E major, starting from B instead of E.

Notes
B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A
Formula
1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7
Steps
W W H W W H W
W is two frets, H is one fret

B Mixolydian scale positions

Two common ways to split the neck into positions. CAGED gives five shapes, each built around a chord shape you may already know. Three notes per string gives seven patterns that are faster to play.

CAGED shapes

Five shapes named after the chord shape each one is built around.

  1. 3579121517F♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯A

    D shape

    Frets 1 to 5. Starts on F♯, the 5, on the lowest string. The D shape of E major, the parent scale.
  2. 3579121517G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯AB

    C shape

    Frets 4 to 7. Starts on G♯, the 6, on the lowest string. The C shape of E major, the parent scale.
  3. 3579121517BC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯

    A shape

    Frets 6 to 10. Starts on B, the root, on the lowest string. The A shape of E major, the parent scale.
  4. 3579121517C♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯E

    G shape

    Frets 8 to 12. Starts on C♯, the 2, on the lowest string. The G shape of E major, the parent scale.
  5. 3579121517D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯

    E shape

    Frets 11 to 14. Starts on D♯, the 3, on the lowest string. The E shape of E major, the parent scale.

Three notes per string

Seven patterns. Pattern 1 starts on the root on the lowest string.

  1. 3579121517BC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯E

    Position 1

    Frets 7 to 12. Starts on B, the root, on the lowest string. Three notes on every string.
  2. 3579121517C♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯

    Position 2

    Frets 9 to 14. Starts on C♯, the 2, on the lowest string. Three notes on every string.
  3. 3579121517D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯

    Position 3

    Frets 11 to 16. Starts on D♯, the 3, on the lowest string. Three notes on every string.
  4. 3579121517EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯A

    Position 4

    Open strings to fret 5. Starts on E, the 4, on the lowest string. Three notes on every string.
  5. 3579121517F♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯AB

    Position 5

    Frets 2 to 7. Starts on F♯, the 5, on the lowest string. Three notes on every string.
  6. 3579121517G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯

    Position 6

    Frets 4 to 9. Starts on G♯, the 6, on the lowest string. Three notes on every string.
  7. 3579121517ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯

    Position 7

    Frets 5 to 11. Starts on A, the ♭7, on the lowest string. Three notes on every string.

Chords in B Mixolydian

Built from the notes of the scale, so the B Mixolydian scale works over all of them.