F# Mixolydian Scale on Piano

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

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

Interval Circle

WWHWWHWCC#5DD#6Eb7FF#1GG#2AA#3B4

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)

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

Left Hand (ascending)

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

Why this fingering

5 black keys (F#, G#, A#, C#, D#) sit in this scale, and the thumb has to avoid them. In the right hand the thumb crosses under onto B and E; 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 F# Mixolydian

NoteIntervalRH FingerLH Finger
F#F#4Root (1)24
G#G#4Major 2nd (2)33
A#A#4Major 3rd (3)42
BB4Perfect 4th (4)11
C#C#5Perfect 5th (5)23
D#D#5Major 6th (6)32
EE5Minor 7th (b7)11
F#F#5Octave (8)24

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

Other F# Scales

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