Ab Mixolydian
A major diatonic mode with a minor 7th; an open sound without a leading tone.
Octaves
Musical context
How the mode relates to the scale, chord, key and progression.
Theory
General info
- Name
- Ab Mixolydian
- Family
- Diatonic modes
- Note count
- 7
- Step formula
- W – W – H – W – W – H – W
Notes & degrees
1Abroot
2Bbmajor 2nd
3Cmajor 3rd
4Dbperfect 4th
5Ebperfect 5th
6Fmajor 6th
b7Gbminor 7th
Characteristic degrees
VIIGblowered 7th degree
Construction
- Overview
- A major diatonic mode with a minor 7th; an open sound without a leading tone.
- Application in music
- Pairs with dominant 7th chords; its lowered 7th is characteristic of blues and rock harmony.
- Interval formula
- AbWBbWCHDbWEbWFHGb
- Reference mode
- Ab Ionian
Ab Ionian
IAb
IIBb
IIIC
IVDb
VEb
VIF
VIIG
Ab Mixolydian
IAb
IIBb
IIIC
IVDb
VEb
VIF
VIIGb
How the mode is built
- Position in the system
- Degree 5 of the parent major scale
- Parent scale
- C# majorMixolydian mode — degree 5 of the scale
- Parallel major
- Ab majormajor from the same tonic
Sibling modes
Chords by degree
Tensions & resolutions
Stable degrees
IAbpoint of resttonic
IIICdefines modal qualitythird
VEbsupports the tonic sonorityfifth
Typical resolutions & tensions
IIICC
IVDbDb
In a dominant context, scale degree 4 normally descends by step to 3.
IAbAb
IIBbBb
Scale degree 2 may descend to tonic; the motion is especially close when degree 2 is lowered.
This mode on guitar 🎸
See how Ab Mixolydian looks on guitar.
Circle of fifths
The major key on the same tonic and its neighbouring keys on the circle of fifths.
Connections
Practice
Keyboard Trainer
Reinforce it in practice — play and name notes on the interactive keyboard.