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B♭ Mixolydian Mode – Guitar

A major scale with a flat 7th: the sound of rock riffs, blues-rock and jam bands over dominant chords. Here it is in B♭: the notes, the whole neck, all five boxes with TAB, and a backing track to practise over.

Notes in the B♭ mixolydian mode

Formula: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – b7. Use it to solo over songs in B♭ major.

B♭ mixolydian mode on the whole neck

EADGBe123456789101112131415FGAbCDEbFGCDEbFGAbCDEbFGAbCDEbFGAbCDEbFGAbCDEbFGAbCDFGAbCDEbFG
Bb Mixolydian Mode on the whole neck, frets 0-15. Gold = the root (Bb).
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The 5 boxes (positions) with TAB

Each box is one hand position. Learn Box 1 first: play it up with the TAB, then back down, then move to the next box – together they cover the whole neck.

Box 1 · frets 4–9

EADGBe456789AbCDEbFGAbCDEbEbFGAbAbC
Bb Mixolydian Mode, box 1
e|---------------------------------4-6-8-|
B|-------------------------4-6-8-9-------|
G|-------------------5-7-8---------------|
D|-------------5-6-8---------------------|
A|-------5-6-8---------------------------|
E|-4-6-8---------------------------------|

Box 2 · frets 6–12

EADGBe6789101112CDEbEbFGAbAbCDDEbFGFGAbCDEb
Bb Mixolydian Mode, box 2
e|-------------------------------------------------------------6--8--10-11-|
B|-------------------------------------------------6--8--9--11-------------|
G|-------------------------------------7--8--10-12-------------------------|
D|-------------------------6--8--10-12-------------------------------------|
A|-------------6--8--10-11-------------------------------------------------|
E|-6--8--10-11-------------------------------------------------------------|

Box 3 · frets 9–14

EADGBe91011121314DEbFGAbCDEbFGAbAbCDEbF
Bb Mixolydian Mode, box 3
e|----------------------------------------------10-11-13-|
B|-------------------------------------9--11-13----------|
G|----------------------------10-12-13-------------------|
D|-------------------10-12-13----------------------------|
A|----------10-11-13-------------------------------------|
E|-10-11-13----------------------------------------------|

Box 4 · frets 11–16

EADGBe111213141516EbFGAbAbCDEbFGAbCDEbEbFGAb
Bb Mixolydian Mode, box 4
e|----------------------------------------------------11-13-15-16-|
B|----------------------------------------11-13-15-16-------------|
G|-------------------------------12-13-15-------------------------|
D|----------------------12-13-15----------------------------------|
A|-------------11-13-15-------------------------------------------|
E|-11-13-15-16----------------------------------------------------|

Box 5 · frets 2–7

EADGBe234567GAbCDEbFGAbCDDEbFGAb
Bb Mixolydian Mode, box 5
e|-------------------------------3-4-6-|
B|-------------------------3-4-6-------|
G|-------------------3-5-7-------------|
D|-------------3-5-6-------------------|
A|-------3-5-6-------------------------|
E|-3-4-6-------------------------------|

B♭ major backing track

Play the boxes over this, starting and ending phrases on the gold root notes.

A# Major Space Rock Backing Track – Guitar Backing Tracks - Topic

Songs in B♭ major

These songs are in B♭ major, so this is a scale that fits for soloing over them:

All songs in B♭ major →

Other scales in B♭

Mixolydian Mode in other keys

Put it to use: solo with it, step by step, starting with three notes.

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FAQ

What notes are in the Bb mixolydian mode?

Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab. The formula is 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7.

Where do I start playing the Bb mixolydian mode on guitar?

Start with Box 1, frets 4–9. The root note Bb is on the low E string at fret 6.