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Chords in Bb Mixolydian

Bb Mixolydian is built from the notes Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G and Ab. Its scale carries 3 flats. Harmonising that scale in thirds gives seven chords — 3 majors, 3 minors and 1 diminished — starting on Bb as the I. The chord on the fifth degree is Fm rather than a major V, so Bb Mixolydian has no leading tone and resolves by step and color instead of by dominant pull — the sound that separates it from a plain Bb minor.

Beyond those seven, Bb Mixolydian commonly borrows Bbm (i), Cdim (iiø), Db (bIII), Ebm (iv) and Gb (bVI) from the parallel minor — the mixture chords that give a progression somewhere unexpected to go.

The seven chords

IBb
Bb major, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: muted, fret 1, open, fret 3, fret 3, fret 1. Frets are relative to the capo.
x10331iiCm
C minor, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: muted, fret 3, fret 1, open, fret 1, fret 3. Frets are relative to the capo.
x31013iiiøDdim
D diminished, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: muted, muted, open, fret 1, fret 3, fret 1. Frets are relative to the capo. Barre at relative fret 1, strings 4 to 6.
xx0131IVEb
Eb major, position 4, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: muted, fret 6, fret 5, open, fret 4, fret 6. Frets are relative to the capo.4fr
x65046vFm
F minor, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: fret 1, fret 3, fret 3, fret 1, fret 1, fret 1. Frets are relative to the capo. Barre at relative fret 1, strings 1 to 6.
133111viGm
G minor, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: fret 3, fret 1, open, open, fret 3, fret 3. Frets are relative to the capo.
310033bVIIAb
Ab major, position 4, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: fret 4, fret 6, fret 6, fret 5, fret 4, fret 4. Frets are relative to the capo. Barre at relative fret 4, strings 1 to 6.4fr
466544

Extended to four notes each, the same seven degrees give Bb7, Cm7, Dm7b5, Ebmaj7, Fm7, Gm7, Abmaj7.

Borrowed chords

iBbm
Bb minor, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: muted, fret 1, fret 3, fret 3, fret 2, fret 1. Frets are relative to the capo. Barre at relative fret 1, strings 2 to 6.
x13321iiøCdim
C diminished, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: muted, fret 3, fret 4, fret 5, fret 4, muted. Frets are relative to the capo.
x3454xbIIIDb
Db major, position 4, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: muted, fret 4, fret 6, fret 6, fret 6, fret 4. Frets are relative to the capo. Barre at relative fret 4, strings 2 to 6.4fr
x46664ivEbm
Eb minor, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: muted, muted, fret 1, fret 3, fret 4, fret 2. Frets are relative to the capo.
xx1342bVIGb
Gb major, open position, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: fret 2, fret 4, fret 4, fret 3, fret 2, fret 2. Frets are relative to the capo. Barre at relative fret 2, strings 1 to 6.
244322bVIIAb
Ab major, position 4, capo 0. Strings from lowest to highest: fret 4, fret 6, fret 6, fret 5, fret 4, fret 4. Frets are relative to the capo. Barre at relative fret 4, strings 1 to 6.4fr
466544
Capo

Capo 3 and play G Mixolydian shapes to sound Bb Mixolydian.

All eight capo positions for Bb Mixolydian →

Related keys

Open Bb Mixolydian in the explorer →