What is the Mixolydian mode?

Musical 'modes' are basically a set of tonalities deriving from a normal natural major scale. With C major, for example, it seems obvious that one should begin and end on C: C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C. But what if we used the same pitches while starting on the dominant? The new scale would be G-A-B-C-D-E-F-G. Of course, this can still be understood as C major; however, the emphasis now lies on G as a tonic. And yet this is not a natural G major scale, for it has a minor seventh (rather than a major seventh). This scale is called the Mixolydian scale, and pieces employing it can therefore be understood as being in the Mixolydian mode. The mode was quite popular among Romantic composers (see, for instance, the finale of Grieg's First Piano Concerto). Some more recent works in the Mixolydian mode include Lynyrd Skynyrd's 'Sweet Home Alabama' and 'Clocks' by Coldplay. 

EG
Answered by Eric G. Music tutor

4057 Views

See similar Music A Level tutors

Related Music A Level answers

All answers ▸

How can I make the cadence of my Bach chorale more sophisticated?


How did jazz influence mainstream music in Europe and America? [How to approach and introduce this question]


What is sonata form, and how can I identify it when analyzing a piece of music?


How do I analyse melodic features in a piece?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2025 by IXL Learning