Things You'll Need:
- Taken the lesson on the Major Scale, the musical alphabet, and possibly the article on intervals.
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Step 1
Review the Major Scale. There are seven notes in the Major Scale (a heptatonic scale). Each note is called a degree. In the C Major Scale [C=1, D=2, E=3, F=4, G=5, A=6, B=7] For example, You would say, "E is scale degree 3 in the C Major Scale". Mixolydian is the fifth mode of the major scale.
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Step 2
Construct the Mixolydian mode. To form the G Mixolydian mode or scale play [G,A,B,C,D,E,F,G]. Another way to think of this scale is as a Major scale with a lowered 7th scale Degree. So G Mixolydian is equivalent to a G Major scale with a lowered 7th, that means with a F natural instead of F-Sharp.
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Step 3
Analyze the interval content. If you wish to think of the mode by intervalic information then the Ionian mode contains the following intervals, M2,M3,P4,P5,M6,m7,P8. [M=Major, m = minor, P = Perfect, d = diminished]
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Step 4
Proceed to the next mode, Aeolian to further enhance your understanding of Modes. The complete list of modes are: [1=Ionian, 2=Dorian, 3=Phrygian, 4=Lydian, 5=Mixolydian, 6=Aeolian, 7=Locrian]
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Step 5
Learn to play and read more music by using the mode for composition and improvisation. Because of the M3,P5, and m7 intervals contained in the mode, this mode is often used to solo over dominant seventh chords.
