G Mixolydian Scale on Guitar — 2 Shapes to Play the Whole Neck
G Mixolydian is one of the seven modes of the major scale — on guitar its notes are G A B C D E F, built from the formula 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7. Computed live for this exact root and scale, Fretprism finds 2 repeating shapes — the small pattern set you actually need to play it across the whole neck.
G Mixolydian Scale Notes
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | G | 1 |
| 2 | A | 2 |
| 3 | B | 3 |
| 4 | C | 4 |
| 5 | D | 5 |
| 6 | E | 6 |
| 7 | F | b7 |
G Mixolydian Formula
Degree formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7
Whole – Whole – Half – Whole – Whole – Half – Whole
G Mixolydian on the Guitar Fretboard
The notes of Mixolydian repeat across the guitar fretboard in connected positions. Use the shape below to identify root notes, scale degrees, and neighboring shapes.
- Frets 0–7 (span 7 frets)
- Lowest note A, highest note G
- 2 G root notes, on the D string (fret 5), E string (fret 3)
How to practice this shape
- Start on the root — G at fret 5 on the D string. Play up to the highest note in the shape, then back down, staying inside frets 0–7.
- Your hand shifts 4 times as you cross strings: E→A (-2), A→D (-1), G→B (-1), B→E (-1). Those crossings — not the notes — are what this position is really asking you to learn.
- Once it feels automatic, move on to the next of the 2 shapes — together they cover the whole neck, and the same pattern repeats from there.
What Gives G Mixolydian Its Sound?
The characteristic sound of G Mixolydian comes from its minor 7th.
Diatonic chords
These are the 7 chords built from G Mixolydian's own notes — the ones that will sound like they belong when you're writing a progression, backing a melody, or jamming in this key. The Roman numeral shows each chord's role in the key: capital for major, lowercase for minor, ° for diminished, + for augmented. Not every scale produces a clean chord on every degree — where that happens, we show it honestly instead of forcing a name that doesn't fit.
G Mixolydian Scale Relationships
- Parent scale: C Major (Ionian)
G Mixolydian vs G Major (Ionian)
G Mixolydian and G Major (Ionian) differ on 1 degree: the 7th (b7 vs 7).
G Mixolydian FAQ
G Mixolydian contains the notes G, A, B, C, D, E, F.
G Mixolydian is a mode of C Major (Ionian).
G Mixolydian has a natural (major) 3rd degree, giving it a major character. It's derived from C Major (Ionian).
The diatonic chords in G Mixolydian are G, Am, Bdim, C, Dm, Em, F.