Mixolydian mode is a variation on the typical Major Scale. It is clearly “happy” in colour and has been used in many songs such as Guns ‘n’ Roses’ “Sweet Child of Mine”.

• To play Mixolydian mode on the piano, just play all the white notes on a piano, starting on G.
• Mixolydian mode consists of notes with the following intervals: T-T-S-T-T-S-T
• As an example, make sure that “B” is at the top of the circle. You can see that in order to play B mixolydian mode, you simply need to play an E major scale, but concentrating on the B.
• To see what notes are in a B mixolydian scale, first put B at the top of the circle and look at the note in the Mixolydian position — that is E, so B mixolydian is achieved by using the E major scale. Then move E to the top of the circle and you can see what notes are in B mixolydian, because they are the notes from the E major scale: B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A.
• To play chords in B mixolydian, first put B at the top of the circle and look at the note in the Mixolydian position — that is E, so you play chords from the key of E major. Then move E to the top of the circle and you can see those chords, which are the chords for B mixolydian: B, C#m, D#dim, E, F#m, G#m, A.
• Play any major scale but start on (concentrate on) the 5th note in order to achieve a mixolydian scale.
• B mixolydian is relative to (contains all the same notes as) E major (or E ionian).