‘C flat mixolydian’ is the 5th mode of the F flat Major scale. The notes in Cb Mixolydian are:
Cb – Db – Eb – Fb – Gb – Ab – Bbb
If you have read the post on understanding the mixolydian mode, you will know that the mixolydian mode contains a ‘flat 7’ (parallel approach). You will also know that it is the 5th mode of the major scale (derivative approach).
Because the flat 7′ (or ‘lowered 7’) is the only difference between the mixolydian mode and the major scale, it is a very simple mode to analyze.
The Cb mixolydian mode is the default scale that is used to improvise over Cb dominant 7 chords.
Let’s briefly look at how to construct Cb mixolydian using both the parallel approach and the derivative approach.
Cb Mixolydian Mode Using The Parallel Approach
Cb Major has the following notes:
Cb – Db – Eb – Fb – Gb – Ab – Bb
If we ‘lower’ the 7th note, we get the following:
Cb – Db – Eb – Fb – Gb – Ab – Bbb
Cb Mixolydian Mode Using The Derivative Approach
Cb is the 5th note of the Fb major scale:
Fb – Gb – Ab – Bbb – Cb – Db – Eb
If we play the Fb major scale and start on the 5th note we get the following:
Cb – Db – Eb – Fb – Gb – Ab – Bbb
Let’s look at the Cb mixolydian mode in the different positions on the guitar fretboard:
Cb Mixolydian in the Open Position
Firstly, let’s look at the open position:
Cb Mixolydian CAGED Positions
Now let’s look at Cb mixolydian in the 5 different CAGED positions along the fretboard.
Cb Mixolydian 4th Position (Lowest Fret is 4)
Cb Mixolydian 5th Position (Lowest Fret is 5)
Cb Mixolydian 8th Position (Lowest Fret is 8)
Cb Mixolydian 11th Position (Lowest Fret is 11)
Cb Mixolydian 12th Position (Lowest Fret is 12)
That covers the 5 basic positions and the open position of Cb mixolydian along the guitar fretboard. For an in depth explanation of the mixolydian mode, check out mixolydian mode explained.
Further Reading
- Fb Major scale contains the mode of Cb mixolydian.
