Mode reference
Mixolydian mode
The major scale with a flattened seventh · C Mixolydian = C – D – E – F – G – A – B♭
Mixolydian is the fifth mode of the major scale, which means C Mixolydian uses the notes of F major but treats C as home. Every mode on this page keeps that relationship: the same step pattern, started somewhere new.
Major without a leading tone. Nothing strains upward to the tonic, so it sounds major but relaxed. The sound of a great deal of rock and blues-derived music.
C Mixolydian
- C1tone
- D2tone
- E3semi
- F4tone
- G5tone
- A6semi
- B♭7tone
- C8
Every degree
| Degree | Note | Interval from the tonic | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | Unison | 0 |
| 2 | D | Major second | 2 |
| 3 | E | Major third | 4 |
| 4 | F | Perfect fourth | 5 |
| 5 | G | Perfect fifth | 7 |
| 6 | A | Major sixth | 9 |
| 7 | B♭ | Minor seventh | 10 |
Mixolydian on every root
Each row is the same step pattern started somewhere new. The last column is the major scale that contains the same notes — useful when you want to find the mode by thinking in a key you already know.
| Tonic | Notes | Same notes as |
|---|---|---|
| C | C – D – E – F – G – A – B♭ | F major |
| D♭ | D♭ – E♭ – F – G♭ – A♭ – B♭ – C♭ | G♭ major |
| D | D – E – F♯ – G – A – B – C | G major |
| E♭ | E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B♭ – C – D♭ | A♭ major |
| E | E – F♯ – G♯ – A – B – C♯ – D | A major |
| F | F – G – A – B♭ – C – D – E♭ | B♭ major |
| F♯ | F♯ – G♯ – A♯ – B – C♯ – D♯ – E | B major |
| G | G – A – B – C – D – E – F | C major |
| A♭ | A♭ – B♭ – C – D♭ – E♭ – F – G♭ | D♭ major |
| A | A – B – C♯ – D – E – F♯ – G | D major |
| B♭ | B♭ – C – D – E♭ – F – G – A♭ | E♭ major |
| B | B – C♯ – D♯ – E – F♯ – G♯ – A | E major |
Hearing it rather than spelling it
A mode is only a mode while the music keeps treating its tonic as home. Played over a F bass, C Mixolydian is just F major. Played over a C drone, the alteration becomes unmistakable. That is why modal writing tends to stay on one chord for a long time.