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Mixolydian Pentatonic Scale
Though it is not as well known or regularly used as its cousins the Minor Pentatonic and Major Pentatonic Scales, the Mixolydian Pentatonic scale is very closely related to its relative 7-note scale, the Mixolydian Mode. The Mixolydian Pentatonic Scale has 5 notes, and they are arranged as such.
Root – M2nd – M3rd – P5th – m7th
So, for example, a C Mixolydian Pentatonic Scale would be spelled with the following notes:
C – D – E – G – Bb
Because the Mixolydian Pentatonic Scale is similar to the Mixolydian Mode, it can be used in the same way as the 7-note scale, to solo over a Dominant 7th chord.
The following Mixolydian Pentatonic Scales are written out in the key of C, but make sure you practice them in all keys so you have them at your fingertips no matter what key you’re soloing in. As well, you’ll find the stock fingerings for these scales in tons of books and on countless websites, so I’ve decided to give you a different perspective on these scales, laying them out in one octave fingerings, and then combining those fingerings to produce two octave scales.
Mixolydian Pentatonic Scales One Octave
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Mixolydian Pentatonic Scales Two Octave
Click to return to the Essential Jazz Guitar Scales Page
2 Responses to "Mixolydian Pentatonic Scale"
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Hi again Matt, I thought I’d look at this before I attempted the b9 pentatonic for day 9.
It looks to me as though the mixolydian pentatonic scale has the same notes in it as a dom 9 chord. Eg the Cmp scale has C-D-E-G-Bb and C9 has C-E-G-Bb-D. Is there any reason for seeing these two separately. Or could I just look at them as being pretty much the same thing with the notes in a different order?
thanks
Hey Charlie,
yeah both have the same notes, the difference is in the order. If you play CEGBbD you are playing an arpeggio, which has a certain sound to it, more leaps, intervals of 3rds etc.
But, when you play it as C D E G Bb you are playing a scale, which has smaller intervals as well as 3rds, that’s the only difference, but when you use them in a solo it can be a big one.
I would try alternating between the two sounds over a static chord, say C7, and see how they both sound. You will find similarities but also differences, allowing you to use this scale over a C9 chord, but maybe in a different situation than you would a C9 arpeggio.