Jazz Piano Lesson: Mixolydian Tonality

Lesson Goal: To quickly internalize Mixolydian Tonality common practice scale and chord material in all keys… by ear, intellect, eye, and muscle…

Prerequisites

Basic music reading skills… the LOVE of music… and the discipline to study and practice.

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Why Study Mixolydian Tonality?

Because Mixolydian Tonality is widely used in both Modal Jazz and Jazz Blues. Perhaps the most famous Mixolydian Mode piece is Miles Davis’ “All Blues”.

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C Mixolydian Scale Theory & Ear Training

music notation for the c mixolydian scale showing the letter names scale degrees and solfege

piano keyboard showing c mixolydian scale solfege

The scale structure of the Mixolydian Scale is always 1-2-3-4-5-6-b7-1, no matter what key you are in.
The Solfege syllables of the Mixolydian Scale are always Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Te-Do, no matter what key you are in.
The only thing that changes when you change keys are the letter names.

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C Mixolydian Scale & C Dominant 7th Chord

It’s crucial to understand that the Mixolydian Scale (1-2-3-4-5-6-b7) / Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Te) and Tonic Dominant 7th Chord (1-3-5-b7) / Do–Mi–So–Te) are inseparably interrelated.

Here’s one way for getting the Dominant 7th Chord Harmony and Mixolydian Scale Melody into your ears, intellect, eyes, and muscles…

music notation showing a c mixolydian scale played over a c dominant 7th chord with chord tones circled

Notice how it sounds and feels right… and makes musical sense for the chord tones 1, 3, 5, and b7 to fall on downbeats!

C Mixolydian & C Major Scale Compared

Just as E (Mi) gives the Major Scale its major sound, E (Mi) also gives the Mixolydian Scale a major quality. The C Mixolydian Scale shares the same notes as the C Major Scale with one exception: Bb (Te) instead of the leading tone B (Ti). Notice how this one note (Te) gives the scale a more open, heroic, and primitive sound.

music notation showing the difference between the c mixolydian scale and c major scale

Listen to C Mixolydian Scale…

Listen to C Major Scale…

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C Mixolydian & C Dorian Scale Compared

Mi gives the Mixolydian Scale its major flavor, while Me gives the Dorian Scale its minor flavor. So, it makes musical sense to think of the Mixolydian Scale as the major version of the Dorian Scale and the Dorian Scale as the minor version of the Mixolydian Scale.

music notation showing the difference between the c mixolydian scale and c dorian scale

Listen to the C Mixolydian Scale…

Listen to the C Dorian Scale…

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C Mixolydian Scale Solfege Ear Training

Reading, playing, and singing the Solfege Syllables out loud is an extremely effective way to tune up your ears and to internalize the unique sound-feeling of each note in the scale with respect to the key center Do. Make sure to do this slowly enough for the unique sound-feeling of each Solfege Syllable to make a meaningful impression on your mind’s ear.

C Mixolydian Scale: Linear, Ascending…

music notation for the c mixolydian scale solfege ear training

C Mixolydian Scale: Linear, Descending…

C Mixolydian Scale: Do-X-Do, Ascending…

C Mixolydian Scale: Do-X-Do, Descending…

Note: While it’s possible to continue by singing a bunch of other musical patterns, the 80:20 Rule teaches us that a more efficient approach is to get your ear training material directly from the music that YOU want to play!

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Mixolydian Harmony

The Bb/C Chord Voicing

A la “Maiden Voyage”…

Any interest?

Mixolydian Triads

Mixolydian Triads (triads derived from the Mixolydian Scale) are a tasty way to play over a I7 chord in a Mixolydian tonality…

piano keyboard showing triads used in mixolydian tonality

Do you see how scales and chords are complimentary views of the same musical stuff? Knowing your scales helps you know your chords and vice versa!

Don’t fuss over how each chord is named. Just absorb the sound, visuospatial pattern on the keyboard, and the shape of your hand into your musical mind.

Improvisation Hint: With the root C in the bass, use these triads to create a “chord-melody” in your right hand. For example…

Study & Practice: Using your knowledge of scales and chord structure (and your ears of course), transpose these voicings to other keys. In doing so, you will build an immense chord vocabulary that integrates aural, theoretical, visuospatial, and kinesthetic awareness!

Mixolydian “Super Chord” in Stacked 3rds

One useful way to think about Mixolydian harmony is to stretch out the Mixolydian Scale into a seven-note “super chord” in stacked thirds…

mixolydian tonality super chord in stacked 3rds

piano keyboard showing mixolydian tonality super chord in stacked 3rds

This is yet another example of how scales and chords are complementary views of the same musical stuff… and of how knowing your scales helps you know your chords and vice versa!

Hint: Think of this as a basic C7 chord with color tones built from a D Minor Triad stacked on top.

Improvisation Idea: With the root C in the bass, you can play any of the notes above in any combination (single notes, thirds, triads, and seventh chords) to playfully express yourself in a Mixolydian Tonality in a wide variety of ways. For example…

Mixolydian “Super Chord” in Stacked 4ths

Another useful way to think about Mixolydian harmony is to expand the Mixolydian Scale into a seven-note “super chord” in stacked fourths…

piano keyboard showing a mixolydian super chord in stacked 4ths

This is yet another example of how scales and chords are complementary views of the same musical stuff… and of how knowing your scales helps you know your chords and vice versa!

Improvisation Hint: With the root C in the bass, you can play any of the notes above in any combination (single notes and chords) to playfully express yourself in a Mixolydian Tonality in a wide variety of ways. For example…