Blues Guitar Mixolydian - lesson 1

Blues in the key of G - backing track lesson 1.
This lesson in the Blues soloing series with free rhythm tracks for guitar soloing include the Mixolydian mode. Suggested scales are presented as well as other instructions. Real-time information abut chord changes are presented to help you.

Blues in G jam track

"Slow Blues"

Display chord changes: To see the chord changes in the field below the sound control element, you need to press the "Display chords in real-time"-button directly before you start the jam track, or click the "Start all one click"-button.

G Mixolydian

G Pentatonic Major

Jam track info

Instruments: Bass, drums and rhythm guitar
Chords: G7 - C7 - D7
Tempo: 90 BPM

Blues in A - lesson 5 • Dorian blues guitar - lesson 7

Instructions

The purpose with lesson is to include the G Mixolydian (a.k.a. Dominant scale) over the I chord (the G/G7 chords). For the IV and V chord, the G Pentatonic is used.

Notice the among the "extra" notes in G Mixolydian compared to G Pentatonic Major, especially F will be a great target note (i.e., a note to use when the chord change to G).

Using the Mixolydian over the I chord in 12 bar blues or similar forms is foremost a viable option when the song is in major and include dominant chords. The Mixolydian can also be used over the V chord, but should be avoid over the IV chord since the major 3rd interval in the scale will clash with the b7 interval in the IV chord. An alternative to Pentatonic Major over the IV chord is the Dorian scale.

Explanations

Scale and chord relationship - Scales that are suitable to use over chords are normally including the same notes as the chords, or at least including the majority of notes as the chords. Look at the following comparisons:

G Mixolydian scale degrees and notes.

1	2	3	4	5	6	b7
G	A	B	C	D	E	F

G7 chord chord intervals and notes.

1	3	5	b7
G	B	D	F

It is absolutely possible to use the G Pentatonic scale over the G chord as well, but that is not the purpose with this lesson.