Harmonic MajorDegree 5

Mixolydian ♭2

Burnished bronze with a streak of dark red. Commanding and dramatic. a royal court with an undercurrent of intrigue.

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Scale NotesMixolydian ♭2 in C
C
D♭
E
F
G
A
B♭
Interval Formula
1♭23456♭7
Primary Chord
The tonic chord built from this mode
C7

Chord Tones

CEGA♯

All Diatonic Chords

C7C♯maj7Em7♭5Fm7Gmaj7Am(maj7)A♯m7♭5
Chord Voicings
Guitar voicings for C7
C78Root, dominant 7th, major 3rd. The dominant shell. the tritone between 3 and b7 defines the sound.
C7Root, major 3rd, dominant 7th. Compact dominant shell on inner strings.
C7Full four-note drop-2 dominant voicing. Root, 5th, b7th, 3rd with the characteristic tritone.
Fretboard

Mixolydian ♭2 in C

123456789101112131415EADGBeEFGAA♯CC♯EFGAA♯CC♯EFGAA♯CEFGAA♯CC♯EFGAA♯CC♯EFGAA♯CC♯EFGAA♯CC♯EFGAA♯CC♯EFG
RootCharacteristic toneScale tone
Listen
Audio. Mixolydian ♭2 in C
Tempo:
180 BPM

Musical Context

Diatonic Context
Chords built from the F harmonic major scale — click any chord for voicings
Where to Use Mixolydian ♭2
Primary Chord
C7
Function
Dominant
Key Context
The V chord in F harmonic major

A dominant scale with a Phrygian-flavored ♭2 but a natural 6th, giving it a dramatically different character from Phrygian Dominant.

Related Chord Voicings
Extensions, substitutions, and simplifications for C7

Extensions

Substitutions

Simplified Voicings

Example Progressions
Progressions where Mixolydian ♭2 applies (in C)
ii° → V
ii°: Gm7♭5V: C7

The V chord from harmonic major has a b9 resolving to a major I (not minor).

Practice in Play Along →
ii° → V → I → ii°
ii°: Gm7♭5V: C7I: Fmaj7ii°: Gm7♭5

The V7♭9 chord is where Mixolydian ♭2 lives — the ♭2 becomes the ♭9 tension over a dominant chord.

Practice in Play Along →
VI⁺ → ii° → V
VI⁺: D♭maj7♯5ii°: Gm7♭5V: C7

The standard minor ii-V-i.

Practice in Play Along →
Arpeggio Connection
The arpeggio that matches the C7 chord
Dominant 7th
C7
Tones
C
R
E
3
G
5
B♭
♭7
Highlighted = guide tones (define chord quality)

Sound

A dominant scale with a Phrygian-flavored ♭2 but a natural 6th, giving it a dramatically different character from Phrygian Dominant. Where Phrygian Dominant sounds Spanish and exotic, Mixolydian ♭2 sounds regal and classically tense. the ♭9 creates drama while the natural 6th (13th) keeps it grounded and less 'Eastern.'

Practical Use Cases

  • ●Over V7 chords resolving to major (V7 to I) with a ♭9 tension
  • ●Classical-influenced dominant passages
  • ●Creating ♭9/13 dominant sounds without the Altered scale's chaos
  • ●Jazz standards where V7 resolves to Imaj7 and you want controlled tension
  • ●Film scoring for dramatic dominant resolutions

Practical Notes

The fifth mode of harmonic major and one of the two most practical modes in this family. To play G Mixolydian ♭2, think C harmonic major. This scale gives you a dominant 7th sound with a ♭9 (the ♭2) and natural 13 (the 6th). a combination you cannot get from either Altered (which has ♭13) or Phrygian Dominant (which also has ♭13). Use it when you want tension over a V7 chord resolving to major but don't want the total chaos of the Altered scale. It's the 'classical' dominant sound. think Beethoven and Brahms resolving V7 to I. On guitar, it's just Mixolydian with a ♭2; if you know your Mixolydian shapes, lower the 2nd by a half step.

dominantclassicaltensionharmonic-major-familyjazz-useful

Practice Drills

Ascending & Descending in One PositionBeginnerTechnique
5 min

Play the mode ascending and descending within a single five-fret box. Build muscle memory and connect the sound to the shape.

Three-Notes-Per-String PatternsIntermediateTechnique
10 min

Play the mode using three notes on every string, stretching across the neck. Great for building legato technique and hearing the scale in a linear way.

Emphasize Characteristic Tones on Strong BeatsIntermediateImprovisation
10 min

Create short melodic phrases that land the mode's characteristic tone(s) on beats 1 and 3. This trains you to bring out the sound that defines the mode.

Improvise Over a Matching ChordBeginnerImprovisation
5 min

Play the mode's parent chord as a loop (or use a backing track) and improvise over it for two minutes. This connects the mode to its harmonic context.

Create 3 Licks Using Only Strings 1–3IntermediateImprovisation
10 min

Compose three short licks (2–4 beats each) using only the top three strings. This forces creativity within a constraint and builds upper-register vocabulary.

Resolve from Tension to StabilityIntermediateEar Training
8 min

Practice approaching chord tones from a half step above or below, training your ear to hear tension resolve.

Try Mixolydian ♭2 in Play Along

Practice improvising over real chord changes with guided scale and target note suggestions.

Related Modes

MixolydianPhrygian DominantAltered

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