Mixolydian ♭6 Mode – Formula, Parent Scales, and Notes for Every Key

Seeing as I have recently been improvising in the Mixolydian♭6 mode a lot, I thought I would create a quick reference chart showing the notes for all the Mixolydian♭6 modes on every starting note (all 12), in case any of you out there love this mode as much as I do, and would find this helpful. 

This improvisation, incorporates the Mixolydian ♭6 quite extensively along with chord progressions diatonic to the scale. You can also listen to another older improvisation of mine in a jazz ballad style which involves the Mixolydian♭6 as occasional hints of colour, within a chord-scale pairing (over a dominant 7th chord).

In another improvisation I have again used the Mixolydian♭6 mode as complete sections with diatonic chords as opposed to chord-scale pairings: Bluebell — Improvisation in F Dorian & Dorian ♯4, C Phrygian, G & C Mixolydian ♭6

One of the things I love about the sound of this mode is its sometimes magical, sometimes elegant, sometimes mysterious feel. Which of these effects (or any others) you achieve depends on context and how you use it. The combination of the major 3rd with the flattened 6th blends major brightness and minor darkness, which can lend an air of unresolved tension. To my ear it is this paradoxical combination of both the shadowy flattened 6th and the glowing warmth of the major 3rd that create that enigmatic air. Historically it has found its way into a lot of English folk music as well as other styles, including jazz. I personally loved combining it with the much brighter Lydian mode in some of my improvisations, such as this one, for colourful harmonies and a hopeful feel to the melody.

How to work out the Mixolydian♭6 mode

The Mixolydian♭6 mode is the 5th mode of the melodic minor scale. This means that to work out the Mixolydian ♭6 mode, you just have to start on the 5th note of the melodic minor scale for whichever key your chosen parent scale belongs to; then play all the same notes, but starting and finishing on this new tonic (the new tonic being the 5th note of the melodic minor scale).  

The scale formula for the Mixolydian ♭6 mode is T – T – S – T – S – T – T (T = tone, S= semitone). It is like a major scale with a flat 6 and flat 7, or you can think of it as the Mixolydian with a flattened 6th (hence the name).

Here is a chart showing the parent scale for each Mixolydian ♭6 mode, plus all the notes for each one:

Parent scale	Mixolydian♭6 mode	Notes
A melodic minor	E Mixolydian ♭6	E F♯ G♯ A B C D
B ♭ melodic minor	F Mixolydian ♭6	F G A B♭ C D♭ E♭
B melodic minor	F♯Mixolydian ♭6	F♯ G♯ A♯ B C♯ D E
C melodic minor	G Mixolydian ♭6	G A B C D E♭ F
C♯ melodic minor	G♯Mixolydian ♭6	G♯ A♯ B♯ C♯ D♯ E F♯
D melodic minor	A Mixolydian ♭6	A B C♯ D E F G
E♭ melodic minor	B♭Mixolydian ♭6	B♭ C D E♭ F G♭ A♭
E melodic minor	B Mixolydian ♭6	B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G A
F melodic minor	C Mixolydian ♭6	C D E F G A♭ B♭
F♯ melodic minor	C♯Mixolydian ♭6	C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯ G♯ A B
G melodic minor	D Mixolydian ♭6	D E F♯ G A B♭ C
G♯ melodic minor	D♯Mixolydian ♭6	D♯ E♯ F𝄪 G♯ A♯ B C♯

Note: although it is grammatically correct to write the 5th mode of the G♯ melodic minor scale as D♯ Mixolydian♭6 as in the table above (because G♯ melodic minor is written as G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯ E♯ F𝄪 G♯), you may find it easier to think of it as the enharmonic equivalent — E♭ Mixolydian♭6 — I.e. E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭.

Listen to improvisations using the Mixolydian flat 6 mode

The Nightshade’s Ember — Improvisation in C Mixolydian ♭6 & A♭ Lydian

Rhapsody in D — Improvisation in D Mixolydian ♭6 & D Aeolian, With F Major

More of my original music incorporating the Mixolydian♭6 mode

I hope you have found this guide useful and that it can help you have fun playing around with the Mixolydian♭6 mode.

You can find my general guide to all the other modes here: Complete Guide to Modes of the Major, Melodic Minor, and Harmonic Minor Scales

You might also like Dorian Mode Explained: Complete Guide with Note Names in All 12 Keys

Read about more modes here

Different Perceptions of This Mode

I’ve heard my students describe this mode in many ways – some hear mystery, magic, elegance, bittersweetness, majesty, twilight, something exotic … it all depends on context and personal perspective.