F♯ Mixolydian mode (G♭ Mixolydian)
F♯ Mixolydian mode is F♯ – G♯ – A♯ – B – C♯ – D♯ – E, with F♯, G♯, A♯, C♯ and D♯. Formula 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7. Play it, then slow the tempo until every note is clear.
The notes, one step at a time
From F♯ upward the gaps are W W H W W H W (W = whole step, H = half step). The half steps fall between A♯–B and D♯–E.
| Degree | Note | Interval from F♯ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F♯ | root | |
| 2 | G♯ | major second | |
| 3 | A♯ | major third | |
| 4 | B | perfect fourth | |
| 5 | C♯ | perfect fifth | |
| 6 | D♯ | major sixth | |
| ♭7 | E | minor seventh |
How the Mixolydian mode sounds
Take F♯ major and flatten the 7th to E: that's F♯ Mixolydian. Lots of classic rock riffs and Celtic tunes live here.
The Mixolydian move is E to F♯, the major chord a whole step below home, the ♭VII that rock uses constantly.
Compared with F♯ major scale, F♯ Mixolydian mode has E where the other has E♯; the other six notes are shared. Hear F♯ major scale and compare.
F♯ Mixolydian mode uses the same seven notes as B major, starting from F♯ instead of B. Same notes, different home note: what makes it Mixolydian is playing it over a F♯ bass or chord.
Playing F♯ Mixolydian
On the piano it uses five black keys (F♯, G♯, A♯, C♯ and D♯) and two white.
On guitar the root sits at the 2nd fret of the low E string. The box above covers frets 0–6 and holds 16 notes of the scale across all six strings; play it 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 F♯ Mixolydian mode; the ones that differ from the B major set are what give the mode its color. Tap to hear each one.
Same notes, different home: C♯ Dorian (starting on the 5th note, C♯), D♯ Phrygian (starting on the 6th note, D♯), E Lydian (starting on the 7th note, E), G♯ natural minor (starting on the 2nd note, G♯), A♯ Locrian (starting on the 3rd note, A♯) and B major (starting on the 4th 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.
Moving it around the guitar
Anchor points for F♯: low E string fret 2 and 14, A string fret 9. Most guitarists learn it in five overlapping positions; on the low E string they begin around frets 2, 4, 7, 9 and 11. Play a major scale, then drop the 7th a half step; that is Mixolydian, the sound of a dominant chord.
On the piano, F♯ Mixolydian mode uses 5 black keys (F♯, G♯, A♯, C♯ and D♯) and 2 white.
A good drill once the scale is under your fingers: play it in thirds, skipping one note each time. Here that's F♯–A♯, G♯–B, A♯–C♯, B–D♯, C♯–E, D♯–F♯, E–G♯.
Practice patterns for F♯ 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 F♯ Mixolydian mode.
- Three-note runs: F♯ G♯ A♯ · G♯ A♯ B · A♯ B C♯ · B C♯ D♯ · C♯ D♯ E · D♯ E F♯.
- Target E: F♯ E F♯ E F♯: the ♭7 takes the pull out of major and makes it bluesy.
Close relatives of F♯ Mixolydian mode
Mixolydian mode in every key
F♯ Mixolydian mode: questions
What are the notes of the F♯ Mixolydian mode?
F♯, G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯. As degrees: 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7.
How many sharps or flats are in the F♯ Mixolydian mode?
Five: F♯, G♯, A♯, C♯ and D♯.
What chords are in the F♯ Mixolydian mode?
Stacking thirds on each note gives F♯ (I), G♯m (ii), A♯dim (iii°), B (IV), C♯m (v), D♯m (vi) and E (VII).
What's the difference between F♯ Mixolydian mode and F♯ major scale?
E in F♯ Mixolydian; E♯ in the other. Everything else is the same.
Which major scale has the same notes as F♯ Mixolydian mode?
B major. F♯ Mixolydian is B major played from its 5th note, F♯.
Notes and fingering generated from the scale formula and checked automatically against the step pattern. Updated September 2026.