A♯ Mixolydian

Bluesy, dominant, rock — built from D♯ major

PARENT FAMILY · D♯ MAJ

All 7 modes share the same parent scale (D♯ major). A♯ Mixolydian is the V mode.

#	Mode	Diatonic chords	Mood
I	D♯ Ionian	D♯maj7 – Fm7 – Gm7 – G♯maj7 – A♯7 – Cm7 – Dm7♭5	Happy, bright, resolved
II	F Dorian	Fm7 – Gm7 – A♭maj7 – B♭7 – Cm7 – Dm7♭5 – E♭maj7	Soulful, minor but with hope
III	G Phrygian	Gm7 – G♯maj7 – A♯7 – Cm7 – Dm7♭5 – D♯maj7 – Fm7	Dark, tense, Spanish/flamenco
IV	G♯ Lydian	G♯maj7 – A♯7 – Cm7 – Dm7♭5 – D♯maj7 – Fm7 – Gm7	Dreamy, floating, ethereal
V	A♯ Mixolydian	A♯7 – Cm7 – Dm7♭5 – D♯maj7 – Fm7 – Gm7 – G♯maj7	Bluesy, dominant, rock
VI	C Aeolian	Cm7 – Dm7♭5 – D♯maj7 – Fm7 – Gm7 – G♯maj7 – A♯7	Melancholic, natural minor
VII	D Locrian	Dm7♭5 – D♯maj7 – Fm7 – Gm7 – G♯maj7 – A♯7 – Cm7	Unstable, tense, dissonant

SCALE · 7 NOTES · 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7

A♯ C D D♯ F G G♯

Formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7

The Mixolydian scale on A♯ contains the notes A♯, C, D, D♯, F, G, G♯. The pentatonic subset is A♯, C, D, F, G.

Characteristic note: the ♭7 (flat seventh) gives it a bluesy, dominant feel.

DIATONIC 7ths · CHORD PAD

I

A♯7

II

Cm7

III

Dm7♭5

IV

D♯maj7

V

Fm7

VI

Gm7

VII

G♯maj7

▸ Play A♯ Mixolydian over A♯7 and A♯7 progressions.

FRETBOARD · STANDARD TUNING · 15F● LIVE

CHARACTER · BLUESY, DOMINANT, ROCK

BLUESY, DOMINANT, ROCK

A♯ Mixolydian is a major mode with a bluesy, dominant, rock character. It is the V mode of D♯ major — it uses the same 7 notes as D♯ Ionian but is rooted on A♯, which shifts the harmonic focus and creates a completely different sound. The tonic chord is A♯7.

Where to use A♯ Mixolydian

Blues, rock, country, funk.

Famous examples

Norwegian Wood (Beatles)
Sweet Home Chicago
Gimme Shelter

What makes it distinctive: the ♭7 (flat seventh) gives it a bluesy, dominant feel.

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