C Mixolydian mode
C Mixolydian mode is C – D – E – F – G – A – B♭, with B♭. Formula 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7. Hit play and watch it light up on both instruments.
The notes, one step at a time
The step pattern is W W H W W H W (W = whole step, H = half step). The half steps fall between E–F and A–B♭.
| Degree | Note | Interval from C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | root | |
| 2 | D | major second | |
| 3 | E | major third | |
| 4 | F | perfect fourth | |
| 5 | G | perfect fifth | |
| 6 | A | major sixth | |
| ♭7 | B♭ | minor seventh |
The sound of C Mixolydian mode
Take C major and flatten the 7th to B♭: that's C Mixolydian. Lots of classic rock riffs and Celtic tunes live here.
The Mixolydian move is B♭ to C, the major chord a whole step below home, the ♭VII that rock uses constantly.
Compared with C major scale, C Mixolydian mode has B♭ where the other has B; the other six notes are shared. Hear C major scale and compare.
C Mixolydian mode uses the same seven notes as F major, starting from C instead of F. Same notes, different home note: what makes it Mixolydian is playing it over a C bass or chord.
Where your hands go
Keyboard players: one black (B♭), six white.
The guitar box starts with the root at the 8th fret of the low E string and spans frets 6–12: 16 notes, low string to high.
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 C Mixolydian mode; the ones that differ from the F major set are what give the mode its color. Tap to hear each one.
If you know C Mixolydian mode, you already know the notes of D natural minor (starting on the 2nd note, D), E Locrian (starting on the 3rd note, E), F major (starting on the 4th note, F), G Dorian (starting on the 5th note, G), A Phrygian (starting on the 6th note, A) and B♭ Lydian (starting on the 7th note, B♭).
C Mixolydian mode across the fretboard
The root, C, sits at fret 8 on the low E string and 3 and 15 on the A string. Work up the neck in five positions (low E string frets 1, 3, 5, 8 and 10) and you'll have it everywhere. Play a major scale, then drop the 7th a half step; that is Mixolydian, the sound of a dominant chord.
On the piano, C Mixolydian mode uses 1 black key (B♭) and 6 white.
A good drill once the scale is under your fingers: play it in thirds, skipping one note each time. Here that's C–E, D–F, E–G, F–A, G–B♭, A–C, B♭–D.
Practice patterns for C Mixolydian mode
Running a scale straight up and down only teaches the order. These patterns use the same 7 notes and train your ear and fingers to jump around inside C Mixolydian mode.
- Groups of three: C D E · D E F · E F G · F G A · G A B♭ · A B♭ C.
- Target B♭: C B♭ C B♭ C: the ♭7 takes the pull out of major and makes it bluesy.
Scales to compare with C Mixolydian
Mixolydian mode in every key
C Mixolydian mode: questions
What are the notes of the C Mixolydian mode?
7 notes: C, D, E, F, G, A and B♭.
How many sharps or flats are in the C Mixolydian mode?
One: B♭.
What chords are in the C Mixolydian mode?
Stacking thirds on each note gives C (I), Dm (ii), Edim (iii°), F (IV), Gm (v), Am (vi) and B♭ (VII).
What's the difference between C Mixolydian mode and C major scale?
B♭ in C Mixolydian; B in the other. Everything else is the same.
Which major scale has the same notes as C Mixolydian mode?
F major. C Mixolydian is F major played from its 5th note, C.
Every note on this page is computed from 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7 and tested. Updated September 2026.