Learn Guitar Scales : Great Sounding Mixolydian Solos
April 9, 2011Anyone who aspires to be a lead guitarist will eventually want to learn guitar scales and the modes. Using the modes offers so many more opportunities with lead guitar, but a lot of players often overlook it. It’s important to understand these are not the pentatonic or blues scales. Once you learn the pentatonic scales you can simply add two notes to create the seven modes of the major scale. The point is; if you can learn how to add a few notes to the pentatonic scales and play with your pinky you’re going to be able to play diverse and impressive sounding solos. One of the best modes to learn is the Mixolydian Mode.
When you learn guitar scales, you learn that a scale is a set of seven notes that is defined by the root note. The Mixolydian mode is created by taking the major scale, and simply making the fifth note the new root note. The distinct steps of the major scale are retained, we just start and end on a different note. So we now create a new sounding scale called the Mixolydian mode which can be applied to all twelve keys.
If we look a little deeper, a mode can be more than just the first and last note of the scale. A mode contains a distinct set of intervals, and this actually defines the mode’s feel and sound, while the key that the mode is played in defines the exact notes contained.
The Mixolydian mode is defined by these distinct “steps” or intervals: Root, major 2nd, major 3rd, major 4th, major 5th, major 6th, and flatted 7th. So, in the C major key the notes are: G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. If this were actually the G major scale, then the F would be sharpened, this is the only difference. The flattened 7th of the Mixolydian mode compared to the major 7th of the major scale makes the mode sound more “bluesy”.
The term “key” describes the central note around which a piece of music is based. The mixolydian mode can be played over the G major chords in the key of C major or its relative minor : A minor. The mode can also be applied to a solo or lead break where G is the tonic centre or key in itself.
The Mixolydian Mode is often used in rock music to give a solo a powerful, melodic, and bright feel. As an example; Slash used this mode for his first two solos in “Sweet Child O Mine”. Jazz guitar players often use the Mixolydian Mode to solo over a chord progression. This mode is applied to many different styles or genres of music.
When you learn guitar scales, don’t forget your modes. Learn the Mixolydian Mode.
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