F♯ Mixolydian Scale: Notes, Chords, and How to Play It

F♯ Mixolydian ventures into five-sharp territory. Built on the 5th degree of B major, it shares those same notes but treats F♯ as home. While less common than Mixolydian modes in simpler keys, F♯7 chords appear regularly in jazz, funk, and progressive rock — and F♯ Mixolydian is the scale that fits over them. The ♭7 (E natural) gives the mode its characteristic relaxed dominant sound.

What Makes Mixolydian Different from Major?

The Mixolydian mode is almost identical to the major scale. The only difference is the flatted seventh degree — the note one whole step below the root instead of a half step. In F♯ Mixolydian, this means E natural rather than E♯.

This ♭7 removes the leading tone — that half-step pull from the 7th degree up to the root that gives the major scale its strong sense of resolution. Without it, Mixolydian sounds more open, relaxed, and bluesy. The tonic chord is naturally a dominant 7th (F♯7) rather than a major 7th, which is exactly why Mixolydian is the go-to scale for playing over dominant 7th chords in jazz and blues.

For a broader overview of how modes work, see Modes Explained: Dorian to Locrian.

Notes of the F♯ Mixolydian Scale

The F♯ Mixolydian scale contains seven notes:

F♯ – G♯ – A♯ – B – C♯ – D♯ – E

These are the same notes as B major, but starting and resolving on F♯. The scale follows the Mixolydian interval pattern — W – W – H – W – W – H – W.

The half steps fall between A♯–B (degrees 3–4) and D♯–E (degrees 6–7). Compare this to F♯ major, where the half steps fall between A♯–B and E♯–F♯. The only change is that final interval: E replaces E♯.

Parent Major Scale

F♯ Mixolydian is the 5th mode of B major. This means it uses exactly the same notes as B major but with F♯ as the tonal centre.

To find the parent major scale for any Mixolydian mode, go down a perfect 5th (or up a perfect 4th) from the root.

Comparison with F♯ Major

Since Mixolydian differs from major by just one note, a direct comparison is the clearest way to understand the mode:

That single change — E♯ to E — transforms the sound. Note that E♯ is enharmonically the same as F on the keyboard, but in F♯ major it is correctly spelled E♯ to maintain proper interval naming.

F♯ Mixolydian on Piano

F♯ Mixolydian has five sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, and A♯. This is the same key signature as B major. The scale starts on F♯ and follows a pattern that falls mostly on black keys.

Right hand fingering (ascending): 2 – 3 – 4 – 1 – 2 – 3 – 1 – 2 (the thumb takes B and E, the natural keys, while the longer fingers handle the black keys)

Left hand fingering (ascending): 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 – 3 – 2 – 1 – 4 (the fourth finger starts on F♯, thumb takes C♯ and E)

Hold an F♯7 chord with the left hand while running the scale with the right to reinforce the Mixolydian sound and train your ear to hear F♯ as home.

F♯ Mixolydian on Guitar

F♯ Mixolydian works well at the 2nd fret on guitar, where the root sits on the 6th string. The pattern is a standard Mixolydian shape that is easy to transpose.

2nd position (low to high):

This covers one octave from F♯ on the 6th string to F♯ on the 4th string. The same shape can be moved to any fret for other Mixolydian keys.

Use the guitar fretboard view in the Interactive Chord Finder to see all positions at once.

Diatonic Chords in F♯ Mixolydian

Stacking thirds on each scale degree produces these seven triads:

The ♭VII chord (E major in F♯ Mixolydian) is the characteristic chord of the mode. The movement from F♯ to E — a whole-step drop — is the quintessential Mixolydian sound.

For more on how diatonic chords are constructed, see Diatonic Chords: A Beginner’s Guide.

Seventh Chords

Adding a fourth note to each triad creates seventh chords:

The tonic chord is a dominant 7th (F♯7). In jazz, you would play F♯ Mixolydian whenever you encounter an F♯7 chord in a progression.

For more on seventh chords, see Seventh Chords: The Complete Guide.

Common Chord Progressions in F♯ Mixolydian

Mixolydian progressions tend to be simpler and more riff-driven than major key progressions.

The I – ♭VII movement (F♯ – E) gives that characteristic Mixolydian drop. On guitar, both chords work well as barre shapes.

For a deeper dive into how progressions work, see Chord Progressions Every Musician Should Know.

Songs That Use F♯ Mixolydian

F♯ Mixolydian is less common than simpler keys but appears in jazz and progressive contexts:

• “Superstition” — Stevie Wonder (sections with F♯7 funk vamps)
• “Taxman” — The Beatles (sections)
• “Wes’ Tune” — various jazz standards over F♯7
• “Shining Star” — Earth, Wind & Fire (funk sections)

Listen for the ♭7 note (E natural) in the melody or the ♭VII chord (E major) in the harmony — these are the tell-tale signs of Mixolydian rather than plain major.

Related Scales and Modes

F♯ Mixolydian belongs to the B major family. All seven modes share the same notes:

Practice Tips

Emphasise the ♭7. Play F♯ major ascending, then play F♯ Mixolydian. The only difference is E vs E♯ — train your ear to hear that subtle but powerful shift.

Vamp on I – ♭VII. Alternate between F♯ and E chords while improvising with the scale. On guitar, barre F♯ at the 2nd fret and use the open E shape.

Play over an F♯7 drone. Hold an F♯7 chord or use a backing track that sits on F♯7. Improvise with the scale and notice how E natural fits perfectly over the chord.

Transpose familiar patterns. Take Mixolydian licks you know in easier keys (like G or A) and move them to F♯. The fingering shapes are identical — only the starting fret changes.

Use the moveable shapes. On guitar, F♯ Mixolydian at the 2nd fret uses the same shape as E Mixolydian in open position, shifted up two frets.

Try It Yourself

Open the Interactive Chord Finder, select F♯ as the root and Mixolydian as the scale. You will see every note highlighted on the piano keyboard or guitar fretboard, the step pattern visualised as intervals, and all diatonic chords laid out in a table — ready to play and explore.

For the complete list of scales in every key, see Scales for Piano and Guitar: The Complete Reference Guide.