Major and Mixolydian comparison
The Major scale compared to the Mixolydian mode with diagrams and explanation.
The Major and the Mixolydian are seven-note scales. The scales are similar, only one tone differs (as seen in the comparing tables below). The deviation is the flattened 7th which gives Mixolydian its dominant sound.
A Major scale degrees and notes.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | B | C# | D | E | F# | G# |
A Mixolydian scale degrees and notes.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | b7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | B | C# | D | E | F# | G |
Notes of the Major and the Mixolydian mode in all keys.
| Scale | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 / b7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C Major | C | D | E | F | G | A | B |
| C Mixolydian | C | D | E | F | G | A | Bb |
| C# Major | C# | D# | E# | F# | G# | A# | B# |
| C# Mixolydian | C# | D# | E# | F# | G# | A# | B |
| D Major | D | E | F# | G | A | B | C# |
| D Mixolydian | D | E | F# | G | A | B | C |
| Eb Major | Eb | F | G | Ab | Bb | C | D |
| Eb Mixolydian | Eb | F | G | Ab | Bb | C | Db |
| E Major | E | F# | G# | A | B | C# | D# |
| E Mixolydian | E | F# | G# | A | B | C# | D |
| F Major | F | G | A | Bb | C | D | E |
| F Mixolydian | F | G | A | Bb | C | D | Eb |
| F# Major | F# | G# | A# | B | C# | D# | E# |
| F# Mixolydian | F# | G# | A# | B | C# | D# | E |
| G Major | G | A | B | C | D | E | F# |
| G Mixolydian | G | A | B | C | D | E | F |
| Ab Major | Ab | Bb | C | Db | Eb | F | G |
| Ab Mixolydian | Ab | Bb | C | Db | Eb | F | Gb |
| A Major | A | B | C# | D | E | F# | G# |
| A Mixolydian | A | B | C# | D | E | F# | G |
| Bb Major | Bb | C | D | Eb | F | G | A |
| Bb Mixolydian | Bb | C | D | Eb | F | G | Ab |
| B Major | B | C# | D# | E | F# | G# | A# |
| B Mixolydian | B | C# | D# | E | F# | G# | A |
Notice that C# is the same as Db, D# is the same as Eb and so on.
Scale diagrams
The scale diagrams show A Major and A Mixolydian (shape 1) in two octaves.
A Major
A Mixolydian
Graphic comparison
The scale diagram shows Major and Mixolydian modes merged.
Scale box relationships
Major shape 1 is identical (besides the root notes) with Mixolydian shape 3, as seen below in 4th position.
A Major (shape 1)
E Mixolydian (shape 3)
