A Mixolydian Scale on Piano

The A Mixolydian scale sounds bright but unresolved. It runs A – B – C# – D – E – F# – G and is written with two sharps.

It shares its key signature with F# minor, its relative minor.

Interval Circle

WWHWWHWCC#3D4D#E5FF#6Gb7G#A1A#B2

All twelve semitones, root at the top. Filled dots are the notes of the scale, the outer numbers are their degrees, and W / H mark the whole and half steps between them.

About This Scale

A major scale with a flattened 7th. Losing the leading tone removes the pull back to the tonic, so the scale can sit on a dominant chord indefinitely — the sound of blues-rock riffs and Celtic tunes.

Fingering

Right Hand (ascending)

1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5

Left Hand (ascending)

5-4-3-2-1-3-2-1

Why this fingering

2 black keys (C#, F#) sit in this scale, and the thumb has to avoid them. In the right hand the thumb crosses under onto D; let the elbow drift slightly outward as it passes rather than twisting the wrist.

The blue dots on the piano below show which keys to press — they turn green when you play the right note.

Notes in A Mixolydian

NoteIntervalRH FingerLH Finger
AA4Root (1)15
BB4Major 2nd (2)24
C#C#5Major 3rd (3)33
DD5Perfect 4th (4)12
EE5Perfect 5th (5)21
F#F#5Major 6th (6)33
GG5Minor 7th (b7)42
AA5Octave (8)51

Other Mixolydian Scales

C Mixolydian
C – D – E – F – G – A – Bb
Db Mixolydian
Db – Eb – F – Gb – Ab – Bb – Cb
D Mixolydian
D – E – F# – G – A – B – C
Eb Mixolydian
Eb – F – G – Ab – Bb – C – Db
E Mixolydian
E – F# – G# – A – B – C# – D
F Mixolydian
F – G – A – Bb – C – D – Eb
F# Mixolydian
F# – G# – A# – B – C# – D# – E
G Mixolydian
G – A – B – C – D – E – F
Ab Mixolydian
Ab – Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – Gb
Bb Mixolydian
Bb – C – D – Eb – F – G – Ab
B Mixolydian
B – C# – D# – E – F# – G# – A

Other A Scales

A Major
A – B – C# – D – E – F# – G#
A Natural Minor
A – B – C – D – E – F – G
A Harmonic Minor
A – B – C – D – E – F – G#
A Melodic Minor
A – B – C – D – E – F# – G#
A Major Pentatonic
A – B – C# – E – F#
A Minor Pentatonic
A – C – D – E – G
A Blues
A – C – D – Eb – E – G
A Dorian
A – B – C – D – E – F# – G
A Chromatic
A – A# – B – C – C# – D – D# – E – F – F# – G – G#