F# Mixolydian Bass Scale
Bass scale — fretboard diagram
F# Mixolydian Scale — Notes and Intervals
The F# Mixolydian scale is the fifth mode of the major scale and the heart of rock and roll and blues. On Bass, it contains the notes F#, G#, A#, B, C#, D#, E. It combines the stability of a major sound with a more relaxed, folk-like ending, perfectly suited for soloing over dominant seventh chords and providing a bluesy, soulful vibe to major-key songs. The diatonic chords of F# Mixolydian are F#7, G#m7, A#m7b5, BMaj7, C#m7, D#m7, EMaj7. Commonly used in Blues, Rock, Country, Folk, Funk. Notable players include Jimi Hendrix, The Allman Brothers, AC/DC, Stevie Ray Vaughan. Use over dominant 7th chords (7, 9, 13). The primary scale for blues-rock soloing over non-resolving dominant chords.
Notes: F#, G#, A#, B, C#, D#, E
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3M, 4P, 5P, 6M, 7m
Degrees: 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7
Formula: W-W-H-W-W-H-W
Number of notes: 7
Also known as: dominant
Diatonic Chords
F♯7 — G♯m7 — A♯m7♭5 — BMaj7 — C♯m7 — D♯m7 — EMaj7
How to Play F# Mixolydian on Bass
On bass, locate F# on the E string at fret 2. Use a one-finger-per-fret approach starting from the root and span two to three strings. Keep your fretting hand relaxed and practice shifting between positions cleanly.
The F# Mixolydian scale contains 5 sharps (F#, G#, A#, C#, D#). Its relative minor is D# minor, which shares the same notes.
Practice Routine
Begin by playing the F# Mixolydian scale ascending and descending at 80 BPM using a metronome, one note per beat. Once comfortable, practice in thirds (F#-A#, G#-B) to build intervallic familiarity. Spend 5 minutes daily on this pattern before increasing tempo by 10 BPM.
Try these progressions with the F# Mixolydian scale: F#7 - BMaj7 - C#m7 - F#7 (I-IV-V-I) or F#7 - G#m7 - BMaj7 - C#m7 for a more stepwise movement.
Bass Tips
Practice the F# Mixolydian scale on bass using only your index and ring fingers for a two-finger-per-string approach, then switch to one-finger-per-fret. Both techniques are essential for different musical situations.
The F# Mixolydian scale contains 7 notes (F#, G#, A#, B, C#, D#, E). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Bass with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for F# Mixolydian
The F# Mixolydian scale can be played in 5 CAGED positions across the fretboard, each based on an open chord shape (C, A, G, E, D). As a 7-note scale, it also lends itself to 3-notes-per-string (3NPS) patterns that facilitate legato playing and diagonal shifting. Use the pattern selector above to isolate each position.