F Mixolydian

Bluesy, dominant, rock — built from B♭ major

PARENT FAMILY · B♭ MAJ

All 7 modes share the same parent scale (B♭ major). F Mixolydian is the V mode.

#	Mode	Diatonic chords	Mood
I	B♭ Ionian	B♭maj7 – Cm7 – Dm7 – E♭maj7 – F7 – Gm7 – Am7♭5	Happy, bright, resolved
II	C Dorian	Cm7 – Dm7 – D♯maj7 – F7 – Gm7 – Am7♭5 – A♯maj7	Soulful, minor but with hope
III	D Phrygian	Dm7 – D♯maj7 – F7 – Gm7 – Am7♭5 – A♯maj7 – Cm7	Dark, tense, Spanish/flamenco
IV	E♭ Lydian	E♭maj7 – F7 – Gm7 – Am7♭5 – B♭maj7 – Cm7 – Dm7	Dreamy, floating, ethereal
V	F Mixolydian	F7 – Gm7 – Am7♭5 – B♭maj7 – Cm7 – Dm7 – E♭maj7	Bluesy, dominant, rock
VI	G Aeolian	Gm7 – Am7♭5 – A♯maj7 – Cm7 – Dm7 – D♯maj7 – F7	Melancholic, natural minor
VII	A Locrian	Am7♭5 – A♯maj7 – Cm7 – Dm7 – D♯maj7 – F7 – Gm7	Unstable, tense, dissonant

SCALE · 7 NOTES · 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7

F G A B♭ C D E♭

Formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7

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

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

DIATONIC 7ths · CHORD PAD

I

F7

II

Gm7

III

Am7♭5

IV

B♭maj7

V

Cm7

VI

Dm7

VII

E♭maj7

▸ Play F Mixolydian over F7 and F7 progressions.

FRETBOARD · STANDARD TUNING · 15F● LIVE

CHARACTER · BLUESY, DOMINANT, ROCK

BLUESY, DOMINANT, ROCK

F Mixolydian is a major mode with a bluesy, dominant, rock character. It is the V mode of B♭ major — it uses the same 7 notes as B♭ Ionian but is rooted on F, which shifts the harmonic focus and creates a completely different sound. The tonic chord is F7.

Where to use F 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.

RELATED KEYS