E Mixolydian mode
E Mixolydian mode is E – F♯ – G♯ – A – B – C♯ – D, with F♯, G♯ and C♯. Formula 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7. Hit play and watch it light up on both instruments.
E Mixolydian mode, note by note
From E upward the gaps are W W H W W H W (W = whole step, H = half step). The half steps fall between G♯–A and C♯–D.
| Degree | Note | Interval from E | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | root | |
| 2 | F♯ | major second | |
| 3 | G♯ | major third | |
| 4 | A | perfect fourth | |
| 5 | B | perfect fifth | |
| 6 | C♯ | major sixth | |
| ♭7 | D | minor seventh |
The sound of E Mixolydian mode
Take E major and flatten the 7th to D: that's E Mixolydian. Lots of classic rock riffs and Celtic tunes live here.
The Mixolydian move is D to E, the major chord a whole step below home, the ♭VII that rock uses constantly.
Compared with E major scale, E Mixolydian mode has D where the other has D♯; the other six notes are shared. Hear E major scale and compare.
E Mixolydian mode uses the same seven notes as A major, starting from E instead of A. Same notes, different home note: what makes it Mixolydian is playing it over a E bass or chord.
On piano and on guitar
On the piano it uses three black keys (F♯, G♯ and C♯) and four white.
18 notes fit in the box between frets 0 and 5, with E open on the low E string.
Chords built on each note
Stack every other note of the scale on each degree and you get 7 chords. These are the chords that fit E Mixolydian mode; the ones that differ from the A major set are what give the mode its color. Tap to hear each one.
Same notes, different home: C♯ Phrygian (starting on the 6th note, C♯), D Lydian (starting on the 7th note, D), F♯ natural minor (starting on the 2nd note, F♯), G♯ Locrian (starting on the 3rd note, G♯), A major (starting on the 4th note, A) and B Dorian (starting on the 5th note, B). Play any of them over a drone on its first note and the mood changes, even though the keys you press don't.
Finding E Mixolydian on the neck
Anchor points for E: low E string fret 0 and 12, A string fret 7 (0 = open string). Most guitarists learn it in five overlapping positions; on the low E string they begin around frets 2, 5, 7, 9 and 12. Play a major scale, then drop the 7th a half step; that is Mixolydian, the sound of a dominant chord.
On the piano, E Mixolydian mode uses 3 black keys (F♯, G♯ and C♯) and 4 white.
A good drill once the scale is under your fingers: play it in thirds, skipping one note each time. Here that's E–G♯, F♯–A, G♯–B, A–C♯, B–D, C♯–E, D–F♯.
Three ways to practise E Mixolydian
Once E Mixolydian is comfortable up and down, break the order. Each pattern below uses only its 7 notes.
- Groups of three: E F♯ G♯ · F♯ G♯ A · G♯ A B · A B C♯ · B C♯ D · C♯ D E.
- Lean on D: E D E D E: the ♭7 takes the pull out of major and makes it bluesy.
Try next, from E
Mixolydian mode in every key
E Mixolydian mode: questions
What are the notes of the E Mixolydian mode?
E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯ and D, then E again at the octave. Formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7.
How many sharps or flats are in the E Mixolydian mode?
Three: F♯, G♯ and C♯.
What chords are in the E Mixolydian mode?
Stacking thirds on each note gives E (I), F♯m (ii), G♯dim (iii°), A (IV), Bm (v), C♯m (vi) and D (VII).
What's the difference between E Mixolydian mode and E major scale?
D in E Mixolydian; D♯ in the other. Everything else is the same.
Which major scale has the same notes as E Mixolydian mode?
A major. E Mixolydian is A major played from its 5th note, E.
Notes and fingering generated from the scale formula and checked automatically against the step pattern. Updated September 2026.