E Mixolydian: Open Position and Beyond

E, F#, G#, A, B, C# and D: that is the E Mixolydian scale, and the open E strings give you the root at both ends of the neck. Its D natural is the one note that differs from E major.

Beyond the open position, the root is on the 7th fret of the A string and on the 12th fret of the low E. It matches A major note for note, which is why a song that vamps on E7 and A fits this mode. Use two notes per string patterns to move around the neck.

Play the E mixolydian scale

Use the step menu in the player to switch between the single-string run and the box shapes.

Notes of the E mixolydian scale

NoteDegreeIntervalSemitones from root
E1Root0
F#2Major 2nd2
G#3Major 3rd4
A4Perfect 4th5
B5Perfect 5th7
C#6Major 6th9
Db7Minor 7th10

Structure

E mixolydian scale notes:

E F# G# A B C# D

How the mixolydian scale is built:

The mixolydian scale is built from the degrees 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7, which gives the step pattern W-W-H-W-W-H-W (W = whole step, H = half step).

Counting in semitones from the root: 0, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10. That makes it a 7-note scale.

It is mode 5 of the Major Scale, so both scales share the same notes from a different starting point.

It is also known as Dominant Scale.

E Mixolydian Scale Guitar Patterns

Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.

E Mixolydian Scale scale guitar pattern - On one string (low E)

On one string (low E)

E Mixolydian Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 1

Box pattern — position 1

E Mixolydian Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 2

Box pattern — position 2

E Mixolydian Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 3

Box pattern — position 3

E Mixolydian Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 4

Box pattern — position 4

E Mixolydian Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 5

Box pattern — position 5

E Mixolydian Scale scale guitar pattern - 3 notes per string — position 1

3 notes per string — position 1

E Mixolydian Scale scale guitar pattern - 3 notes per string — position 2

3 notes per string — position 2

E Mixolydian Scale scale guitar pattern - 3 notes per string — position 3

3 notes per string — position 3

E Mixolydian Scale scale guitar pattern - 3 notes per string — position 4

3 notes per string — position 4

E Mixolydian Scale scale guitar pattern - 3 notes per string — position 5

3 notes per string — position 5

Chords in the E mixolydian scale

Stacking thirds on each degree of the scale gives these chords.

DegreeTriadSeventh chord
1 E E7
2 F#m F#m7
3 G#dim G#m7(b5)
4 A Amaj7
5 Bm Bm7
6 C#m C#m7
b7 D Dmaj7

Related modes

These scales share the same notes as the mixolydian scale, starting from a different degree.

Major Scale Dorian Scale Phrygian Scale Lydian Scale Minor Scale Locrian Scale

The mixolydian scale in other keys

C C# Db D D# Eb E F F# Gb G G# Ab A A# Bb B

All about the mixolydian scale →

Giancarlo Facoetti, founder of FaChords Guitar

Created by

Giancarlo Facoetti

Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher