Mixolydian mode

Modern Mixolydian scale on C[1] About this sound Play (help·info).
Mixolydian scale on G About this sound Play (help·info).

Mixolydian scale has the same series of tones and semitones as the major scale, except the seventh degree is a semitone lower.[1] The Mixolydian mode is sometimes called the dominant scale,[2] because it is the mode built on the fifth degree (the dominant) of the major scale.

The order of tones and semitones in a Mixolydian scale is TTSTTST (T = tone; S = semitone), while the major scale is TTSTTTS. The key signature varies accordingly (it will be the same as that of the major key a fifth below).[1]

Some examples:

  • The G Mixolydian mode (Related to the key of C major - on a piano it is all the white keys from one G to the next. GABCDEFG)[1]
  • The C Mixolydian mode (Related to the key of F major. CDEFGAB♭C)[1]
  • The D Mixolydian mode (Related to the key of G major. DEF♯GABCD)[1]
  • The E Mixolydian mode (Related to the key of A major. EF♯G♯ABC♯DE)[1]

Contents

Notable music in Mixolydian mode

Traditional

  • "Old Joe Clark"[3][4]
  • She Moved Through the Fair - A traditional Irish folk song. [5]

Popular

  • "Let It Loose"[6] by The Rolling Stones
  • "Marquee Moon" by Television[7][8]
  • Theme From Star Trek[9]
  • "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd[4]
  • "Sweet Child o' Mine" (until solo, which is in E-flat natural minor) by Guns N' Roses[10]
  • "Norwegian Wood" by The Beatles (with some verses in Dorian mode)[4][11][12]
  • The Allman Brothers Band's "Ramblin' Man" (with blues flavoring)[12]
  • "Gloria" by Them (band)/Van Morrison[13]
  • "Express Yourself" by Madonna[13]
  • "More Than a Feeling" (verses (D-C-G); chorus in G (G-C-Em-D) "natural" major) by Boston)[14]
  • "You and I" by Lady Gaga (chord progression is A(I) - G(VII♭) - A in chorus and A - Bm/A - D/A - Cm (passing chord) in verse).[15]
  • "Hey Jude" by the Beatles ("outro" section only)[16]
  • "Dark Star" by the Grateful Dead, modal in A mixolydian[17]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Arnie Berle, "The Mixolydian Mode/Dominant Seventh Scale", in Mel Bay's Encyclopedia of Scales, Modes and Melodic Patterns: A Unique Approach to Developing Ear, Mind and Finger Coordination (Pacific, Missouri: Mel Bay Publications, 1997): p. 33. ISBN 978-0-7866-1791-3 OCLC 48534968
  2. ↑ Dan Haerle, Scales for Jazz Improvisation (Hialeah: Columbia Pictures Publications; Lebanon, Indiana: Studio P/R; Miami: Warner Bros, 1983), p. 15. ISBN 978-0-89898-705-8.
  3. ↑ Wendy Anthony, "Building a Traditional Tune Repertoire: Old Joe Clark (Key of A-Mixolydian)", Mandolin Sessions webzine (February 2007) |(Accessed 2 February 2010).
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Ted Eschliman, "Something Old. Something New", Mandolin Sessions webzine (November 2009) (Accessed 2 February 2010).
  5. ↑ Allen, Patrick (1999). Developing Singing Matters. Oxford: Heinemann Educational Publishers. pp. 22. ISBN 0-435-81018-9. OCLC 42040205. 
  6. ↑ Jack Morer, Rolling Stones: "Exile on Main Street" (Milwaukee: Hal Leonard Corporation, 1995): p. 100. ISBN 0-7935-4094-1 OCLC 49627026
  7. ↑ "Marquee Moon tab", Joe Hartley's generic homepage.
  8. ↑ Rooksby, Rikky (2001). Inside Classic Rock Tracks, p.86. ISBN 978-0-87930-654-0.
  9. ↑ Ed Friedlander, "The Ancient Musical Modes: What Were They? (Accessed 6 October 2011).
  10. ↑ Dan Bennett, "The Mixolydian Mode", in The Total Rock Bassist (Van Nuys and Los Angeles: Alfred Publishing, 2008): p. 90. ISBN 978-0-7390-5269-3 OCLC 230193269
  11. ↑ Kenneth Womack and Todd F. Davis, Reading the Beatles: Cultural Studies, Literary Criticism, and the Fab Four (Albany: State University of New York Press, 2006): p. 45. ISBN 978-0-7914-6715-2 (cloth); ISBN 978-0-7914-6716-9 (pbk).
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Stephenson, Ken (2002). What to Listen for in Rock: A Stylistic Analysis, p.39. ISBN 978-0-300-09239-4.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Zak, Albin III (2000). The Velvet Underground Companion: Four Decades of Commentary. Music Sales Group. pp. 333. ISBN 0-8256-7242-2, 9780825672422. http://books.google.com/books?id=BA3da2UPobgC&pg=PA96&lpg=PA96&dq=%22mixolydian%22+mode+express+yourself+madonna&source=bl&ots=XRSjluS7QS&sig=dXx4k7IOsS70t8hyxJoBWJDl4j8&hl=en&sa=X&ei=GGHuTrSaMIH00gGT1LyqCQ&ved=0CDgQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=%22mixolydian%22%20mode%20express%20yourself%20madonna&f=false. 
  14. ↑ murray. "More Than a Feeling Chords". Ultimate-Guitar.com. http://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/b/boston/more_than_a_feeling_crd.htm. Retrieved 18 December 2011. 
  15. ↑ Germanotta, Stefani (2011). "Digital Sheet Music – Lady Gaga – You and I". Musicnotes.com (Sony/ATV Music Publishing). 
  16. ↑ Comp, Nate. "The Fretlight Guitar Blog". The Moods of the Modes. Fretlight. http://www.fretlight.com/blog/?p=1418. Retrieved 18 December 2011. 
  17. ↑ "Grateful Dead master class with Dave Frank". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs_4TQLycQI. Retrieved 29 April 2012. 

External links

Modes in Western music
Diatonic
Minor
  • Melodic minor (I)
  • Dorian ♭2 (II)
  • Lydian Augmented (III)
  • Lydian Dominant (IV)
  • Mixolydian ♭13 (V)
  • Locrian ♮2 (VI)
  • Altered (VII)
    • Retrieved from "http://community.berkleejazz.org/wiki/index.php?title=Mixolydian_mode&oldid=1835"

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