"Blues and Beyond" - Mixolydian Scale

[StormyMonday91]

I am a blues player and have no problem using the pentatonic scale over a blues progression...but thats basically the only scale I know. My bag of tricks consist of SRV, BB King, and etc. Now its time to expand my vocabulary..

I decided to get back to learning my Robben Ford " Blues and Beyond " instructional book, being a fan of his playing but not being able to play like him. So the first lesson he goes over the mixolydian scale (Rhumba Blues). I don't know any licks in this scale or how to make any.

How should I approach learning a new scale?

[gennation]

Find the chord in the scale.

The Mixolydian scale contains these intervals...

R 2/9 M3 4/11 5 6/13 b7 R

If it's a G Mixo scale those Intervals will contain: G A B C D E F G

So it contains a G, G7, G9, G11, G13, and a couple of "add chords", Gadd9, Gadd6 (Gadd13), Gadd6/9.

So, if you see any of these chords a good place to start would be to use the Mixo scale from the same Root.

This is ONLY the beginning to understanding the scale to chord relationships.

If all of this is giving you a blank stare, please read through the Beginners to Advanced Series at my lesson site: http://lessons.mikedodge.com

Work your way through the Intervals , then the Chord Construction, etc...

It'll give you a good foundation to what sounds some of the scales give you. And, it'll probably help you advance through Robbens book a little easier too.

For Blues music, if you know the Blues scale, just add the M3, the 9, and the 13 to the Blues scale. This is the "next level" approach many people use to move from using ne sound, the Blues scale, to using a few different sounds, the Blues scale with the added M3, 9, and 13.

For a G Blues scale, add B, A, and E. So you'd have G A Bb B C Db D E F G.

[jimmybcool]

Dude,

You got a BIG time blank stare here :D Sounds a lot like my guitar teacher. He gets started and a few minutes later realizes that I haven't a clue what he just said. He seems to think I understand more of this than I do.

I'll be checking out your webpage.

[tkager]

I think that this might be a good way for you to approach it. It may seem very basic, but since you are coming from a pentanoic/blues persepective, I would start off with a major pentatonic and fill in the Mixolydian passing tones. I will explain below.

Let's say that you are looking at the E Major pentatonic at the 12th fret. It would go, (from high E to low E)
9 | x | x |12 ----- E
9 | x | x |12 ----- B
9 | x |11 | x ----- G
9 | x |11 | x ----- D
9 | x |11 | x ----- A
9 | x | x |12 ----- E

With the added passing (mixolydian) tones
9 | 10 | x |12 ----- E
9 | 10 | x |12 ----- B
9 | x |11 | x ----- G
9 | x |11 | 12 ----- D
9 | x |11 |12 ----- A
9 | 10 |x| 12 ----- E

Then I would record a basic 1, 4, 5 progression (E, A, B), and practice playing your mixolydian over the top. Granted... once you get comfortable with this, you may start to mix in your pentatonic minor as well. When playing through this, and I apologize if this is too basic, certain tones in the scale won't resolve too well over a particular chord in the progression. That's OK for now. The point of this exercise, is really to start feeling how the scale sounds. Heck.. you may be able to feel where you need to resolve.

Well good luck, and I hope that this was helpful. Another suggestion that I might have, is to pick up the Gambale video on modes. He has some really good suggestions on how to construct chord progressions that support and suggest the different modes.

Oh, when I think Mixolydian, I think of Norwegian Wood by the Beatles. Sometimes it is good to have a song in your mind when you think of modes, as it helps you to learn how they feel.

Also, if you are interested, I have a short modal tutorial that I threw together on my site. It isn't a great production, but it represents (what I think) is a very basic way to visualize modes.

http://www.tkguitar.com/Videos/Mode%20tutorial.wmv

PS.. Mike... I like your site. You play very well and your tutorials seem very well put together. I can see that you put a lot of effort into it.

Tom

[Austinrocks]

Mixolydian can be made from the Major Pentatonic

C Mixolydian Key of F
-------------5---x--------8------------------
-------------5---x--------8------------------
-------------5-------7----------------------
-------------5-------7----x------------------
-------------5-------7----x------------------
--------------------------8------------------


There is also one from the Major Scale you just flat the 7th


C Mixolydian Key of F

--------------------------8--------10----------
--------------------------8--------10---11-------
---------------------7--------9---10-----------
---------------------7----8-------10-----------
---------------------7----8-------10-----------
--------------------------8-------10-----------


For Blues you generally add a b5

C Blues Scale added b5

--------------------------8--------10----------
--------------------------8--------10---11-------
---------------------7--------9---10----11-------
---------------------7----8-------10-----------
---------------------7----8---9---10-----------
--------------------------8-------10-----------


you can also add the b3

C blues with b5 and b3 added

--------------------------8--------10---11-------
--------------------------8--------10---11-------
---------------------7----8---9---10----11-------
---------------------7----8-------10-----------
---------------------7----8---9---10-----------
--------------------------8-------10----11-------

[Tom Gross]

Move down three frets from where you usually play and don't bend.

[buddastrat]

B.B. uses the Mixolydian quite a bit. You probably do some of these without realizing it. Learn something like Jessica by Allman Bros. That's mixolydian sound too.

As simple as I can put it, if you want to play G mixolydian, just play a C major scale while the G7 chord is being played . Each mode is based off one of the notes from the major scale.

Now with a little practice, you'll start to hear which notes to emphasize. That would be the chord tones, or the notes that a G7 is made up of. Before long you'll be making up cool pyscho-mixo licks!

[fr8_trane]

I don't usually think of mixolydian when I play blues and I'm pretty sure BB doesn't either. You can play mixolydian lines without ever knowing it just by mixing the major and minor pentatonics. I am CONVINCED this is how guys like BB learned it. First you learn the minor pentatonic. Then someone shows you the major pentatonic and when you combine them or switch back and forth you get something new which at times can be considered the mixolydian mode.

BB's sound relies HEAVILY on the major 6 (A in the key of C) as a substitute for the darker sounding b7 (A# or Bb) which is THE color tone for mixolydian. Robben Ford goes into this substitution in his first video playin the blues. So how can BB be playing mixolydian when he mostly avoids its most obvious color tone?

The mixolydian mode to me is most apparent in the way blues guys use double stops and sliding sixths which are almost always directly out of the mixolydian mode. Again Robben covers this in the first video. The way he uses 6ths is just amazingly melodic.

So...Traditional blues for me all comes down to phrasing and how you switch between or emphasize the major/minor third, maj6/min7 and how you use the b5. I only think mixolydian when playing doublestops.

If you REALLY want to hear the mixolydian mode over blues changes listen to country players. They live in the mixolydian mode.

[tonefingers]

Move down three frets from where you usually play and don't bend.
Why not bend?

Just curious.

[willyboy]

I have my students play through the scale ascending and descending in 3rds, 4ths, 5ths, & 6ths, play the triad and 7th chord arpeggios within the shape, and develop melodies/lines using a mixture of scalar and arpeggio material resolving those ideas into the next chord change. Once your are comfortable with an idea then practice it with a backing track using the same changes so you can hear it and play it in context.

Also it is valuable to look at how other players incorporate these ideas into the same context so that you may develop a beginning vocabulary with the particular idea. In this case learn Robben's lines and incorporate those ideas into your playing - when you are comfortable with Robben's licks then make them your own by adding your own spin on the material.

Hope this is useful.

[dmczern]

Just wanna give some props to you guys who take the time and effort to answer these questions in such detail. You all kick some serious arse !!!

THANKS !!!

and :BEER to ya !

[tonefingers]

Dude,

You got a BIG time blank stare here :D Sounds a lot like my guitar teacher. He gets started and a few minutes later realizes that I haven't a clue what he just said. He seems to think I understand more of this than I do.

I'll be checking out your webpage.
Dude, for you.

The mixolydian scale is the basic do re mi fa so la ti do scale sound.
Start on 'so'

so la ti do re mi fa so
this is mixolydian

Give it number names
.1. 2.3..4..5..6..b7.1
so la ti do re mi fa so

Give it letter names

1.2.3.4.5..6.b7.1
C D E F G A Bb C

That's a start

[tonefingers]

Dude,

You got a BIG time blank stare here :D Sounds a lot like my guitar teacher. He gets started and a few minutes later realizes that I haven't a clue what he just said. He seems to think I understand more of this than I do.

I'll be checking out your webpage.
Dude, for you.

The mixolydian scale is the basic do re mi fa so la ti do scale sound.
Start on 'so'

so la ti do re mi fa so
this is mixolydian

It's like a major scale with a flat 7th

Give it number names
.1. 2.3..4..5..6..b7.1
so la ti do re mi fa so

Give it letter names

1.2.3.4.5..6.b7.1
C D E F G A Bb C

Make a chord, stack 3rds

1.3.5.b7
C E G Bb = C7

That's a start

[DanD]

I am a blues player and have no problem using the pentatonic scale over a blues progression...but thats basically the only scale I know. My bag of tricks consist of SRV, BB King, and etc. Now its time to expand my vocabulary..

I decided to get back to learning my Robben Ford " Blues and Beyond " instructional book, being a fan of his playing but not being able to play like him. So the first lesson he goes over the mixolydian scale (Rhumba Blues). I don't know any licks in this scale or how to make any.

How should I approach learning a new scale?

Stromy,

Listen to the Albert King studio version of Cross-Cut Saw (Rhumba).
Work out the opening solo note for note.
Write it all down.
Memorize the box.
Practice it in a rumba groove.
I really don't know if it in anyway shape or form resembles a mixolydian scale, but one thing is for certain... It smokes big time!

DanD

http://www.sweetclaudette.com/
http://www.sunnygirl.us/

[dspblues]

you can also add the b3

C blues with b5 and b3 added

--------------------------8--------10---11-------
--------------------------8--------10---11-------
---------------------7----8---9---10----11-------
---------------------7----8-------10-----------
---------------------7----8---9---10-----------
--------------------------8-------10----11-------

I've been using that and I didn't even know it. :jo

Stormy,
If you listen to this you might hear how I sprinkle it in here and there: http://www.warrenmann.com/2slow_take1.mp3

[Tom Gross]

Why not bend?

Just curious.

You can bend, of course, a full bend will work to any note two frets up.

But if you take one's usual penatonic minor & dorian licks and move them down three frets, they won't sound as expected, and the stress will often be off.