Mixolydian Augmented is a bright, tense, and slightly surreal dominant mode. It has the bluesy confidence of Mixolydian, but the raised 5th gives it a warped, floating quality that feels more fusion, progressive rock, and cinematic than classic rock.
If regular Mixolydian sounds earthy and open, Mixolydian Augmented sounds more unstable and colorful. It works beautifully over augmented dominant chords, especially 7#5, and can add instant sophistication to riffs, solos, and modal chord vamps.
You may also see this mode called:
- Mixolydian #5
- Mixolydian Augmented
- The 3rd mode of Neapolitan Minor
What Is Mixolydian Augmented?
Mixolydian Augmented is a dominant mode with a major 3rd, flat 7th, and raised 5th.
That means it has the core sound of a dominant 7th chord, but instead of a normal perfect 5th, it uses a sharp 5:
- C to E = major 3rd
- C to G# = augmented 5th
- C to Bb = minor 7th
This gives the mode a strong C7#5 flavor.
On guitar, it sounds great for:
- Fusion lines
- Progressive rock/metal riffs
- Tense dominant vamps
- “Outside” blues-rock phrasing
- Cinematic songwriting
- Augmented chord movement
It is not as common as Dorian, Phrygian, or Lydian Dominant, but that is part of its appeal. It gives you a sound that feels familiar enough to use, but unusual enough to stand out.
Formula
The interval formula for C Mixolydian Augmented is:
1 2 3 4 #5 6 b7
In interval names:
P1 M2 M3 P4 A5 M6 m7
Compared to regular Mixolydian:
C Mixolydian: 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7
C Mixolydian Augmented: 1 2 3 4 #5 6 b7
The only difference is the raised 5th.
That one note changes the whole personality of the mode.
Notes in C
The notes of C Mixolydian Augmented are:
C D E F G# A Bb
Scale degrees:
- C = 1
- D = 2
- E = 3
- F = 4
- G# = #5
- A = 6
- Bb = b7
Use G# rather than Ab because the note functions as a raised 5th above C.
The Chord That Defines the Mode
The defining chord of C Mixolydian Augmented is:
C7#5
Notes:
C E G# Bb
This chord captures the mode because it contains the most important color tones:
- C = root
- E = major 3rd
- G# = augmented 5th
- Bb = flat 7th
Together, these notes create a dominant sound that does not feel fully resolved. The chord wants to move, but in modal music you can also treat it as the tonal center.
You can also expand the chord:
- C9#5 = C E G# Bb D
- C13#5 = C E G# Bb D A
The note F, the natural 4th, is also in the mode. However, it clashes strongly with E if held too long over a C7#5 chord. On guitar, it often works best as a passing tone, suspension, or melodic tension.
Chord Progressions
Because C Mixolydian Augmented has a dominant tonic chord, the key is to make C7#5 feel like home.
If you resolve too strongly to F, the music may start to sound like C7#5 is just a V chord. For modal writing, keep returning to C or use a C pedal tone.
Progression 1: Floating Fusion Dominant
Roman numerals:
I7#5 – bVIImaj7 – IVmaj7 – I7#5
Chords in C:
C7#5 – Bbmaj7 – Fmaj7 – C7#5
This progression has a wide, floating fusion sound.
The C7#5 gives you the augmented dominant color, while Bbmaj7 and Fmaj7 soften the tension. The movement feels spacious rather than traditionally resolved.
Try playing this with clean chorus, delay, or a slightly overdriven fusion tone.
Progression 2: Smooth Modal Vamp
Roman numerals:
I9#5 – ii7 – IVmaj7 – bVIImaj7
Chords in C:
C9#5 – Dm7 – Fmaj7 – Bbmaj7
This progression is smoother and more songwriter-friendly.
The C9#5 establishes the mode immediately. Dm7 and Fmaj7 keep things melodic, while Bbmaj7 reinforces the flat 7 sound.
This works well for:
- Fusion ballads
- Atmospheric prog sections
- Clean arpeggiated guitar parts
- Modal soloing practice
Loop it and improvise with C Mixolydian Augmented over the whole progression.
Progression 3: Dark Cinematic Tension
Roman numerals:
I7#5 – vi m(maj7) – #v°7 – I7#5
Chords in C:
C7#5 – Am(maj7) – G#°7 – C7#5
This one sounds darker and more dramatic.
The Am(maj7) chord shares the note G# with the mode, creating a haunting minor-major sound. The G#°7 chord adds tension before returning to C7#5.
This progression can work well in progressive metal intros, film-score-inspired guitar parts, or eerie fusion sections.
Use palm-muted arpeggios or wide-interval voicings for a more modern sound.
Famous Songs and Guitarists Using C Mixolydian Augmented
C Mixolydian Augmented is an advanced synthetic mode, so there are not many famous guitar songs that are clearly and widely recognized as being written specifically in this mode.
It is better to be honest: this mode is more commonly used as a color over augmented dominant chords than as the basis for entire songs.
That said, the general sound of dominant augmented harmony, 7#5 chords, and colorful synthetic-scale soloing is commonly associated with players and styles such as:
- Allan Holdsworth — known for advanced fusion harmony and unusual dominant colors
- Scott Henderson — often uses altered and outside dominant sounds in blues-fusion contexts
- Frank Zappa — frequently explored synthetic scales, angular melodies, and unusual harmonic colors
- Jazz-fusion guitar vocabulary — especially over dominant 7#5 or 9#5 chords
For practical use, think of C Mixolydian Augmented as a strong choice over:
- C7#5
- C9#5
- C13#5
- Dominant vamps with an augmented 5th
- Fusion or prog riffs centered around C, E, G#, and Bb
If you see a C7#5 chord in a chart, C Mixolydian Augmented is one possible sound to try. Other options may include whole tone, altered, or other dominant scales depending on the progression.
Guitar Fretboard Shape
Here is a practical C Mixolydian Augmented shape around the 8th fret.
Notes:
C D E F G# A Bb
e|-----------------------------10-12-13-|
B|--------------------10-11-13----------|
G|-------------9-10-13------------------|
D|-------8-10-12------------------------|
A|-8-11-12------------------------------|
E|-8-10-12------------------------------|Roots:
- Low E string, 8th fret = C
- D string, 10th fret = C
- B string, 13th fret = C
Important color tones to notice:
- E = major 3rd
- G# = #5
- Bb = b7
- A = 6/13
Try making small phrases that resolve to C, E, G#, or Bb. Those notes will make the mode sound intentional.
Why Guitarists Love This Mode
C Mixolydian Augmented is a great mode for guitarists who want something more colorful than standard pentatonic or natural minor vocabulary.
Emotional flavor
The mode has a strange mix of confidence and instability.
The major 3rd makes it bright. The flat 7 gives it a dominant, bluesy edge. The sharp 5 makes it tense, exotic, and slightly futuristic.
It can sound:
- Mysterious
- Slick
- Tense
- Dramatic
- Fusion-heavy
- Cinematic
Riff potential
For riffs, focus on the notes of C7#5:
C E G# Bb
That gives you the core sound immediately.
A simple riff idea could emphasize:
C – E – G# – Bb – G# – E
This outlines the C7#5 chord clearly.
You can also add the 2 and 6 for a more melodic sound:
C – D – E – G# – A – Bb
That line sounds more fusion and less purely “augmented.”
Soloing applications
C Mixolydian Augmented works especially well over dominant augmented chords.
Use it over:
- C7#5
- C9#5
- C13#5
- C7#5 vamps
- Static C dominant grooves with a raised 5th
For soloing, target the #5 carefully. The G# is the note that makes the mode special, so do not hide it.
Try bending into G# from G, even though G natural is outside the mode. That gives a blues-fusion effect.
Genres where it works well
This mode fits naturally into:
- Jazz fusion
- Progressive rock
- Progressive metal
- Instrumental guitar music
- Cinematic rock
- Experimental songwriting
- Modern blues-fusion
- Tense dominant chord sections
It is less common in straightforward pop or classic rock, but it can still work as a spicy passing color.
Tips for Practicing
Practice over a drone
Start with a C drone.
You can use:
- A looper pedal
- A synth drone
- An open C backing track
- A sustained C power chord
- A bass note in your DAW
Play the scale slowly and listen to each note against C.
Pay special attention to:
- E = bright major 3rd
- G# = tense augmented 5th
- Bb = dominant flat 7
- A = smooth 13 color
Do not just run the scale. Hold each note and hear its emotional effect.
Use chord vamps
Try looping simple vamps like:
C7#5 – Bbmaj7
or:
C9#5 – Fmaj7
or just:
C7#5 for four bars
The simpler the vamp, the easier it is to hear the mode.
If you are producing at home, create a basic groove with bass on C and a sparse C7#5 chord. Then layer guitar melodies using the scale.
Improvise with small note groups
Instead of playing all seven notes, make smaller cells.
Try:
C E G# Bb
That is the C7#5 arpeggio.
Then try:
D E F G#
This gives a more scalar, tense sound.
Then try:
G# A Bb C
This highlights the #5, 6, b7, and root.
Small groups help you sound musical instead of like you are practicing a pattern.
Target the important intervals
The key intervals are:
- 3: E
- #5: G#
- b7: Bb
- 6/13: A
For strong phrases, resolve to E or Bb.
For tension, lean on G#.
For a smoother fusion sound, use A as a melodic color before resolving to Bb or C.
A good exercise:
- Play a phrase.
- End on G#.
- Notice the tension.
- Repeat the phrase.
- End on C, E, or Bb.
- Notice how the resolution changes.
This builds real control over the mode.
Try This Mode in SLModes
Want to explore C Mixolydian Augmented more deeply?
Try it in SLModes.
SLModes helps you study modes through:
- Interactive chord options
- Guitar fretboard layouts
- Modal modulation tools
- Scale and chord relationships
- Negative harmony exploration
Use it to hear how C Mixolydian Augmented behaves over different chords, how it connects to related modes, and how the fretboard shapes change across positions.
Load up the mode, loop a C7#5 vamp, and start exploring the strange, powerful sound of Mixolydian with a raised 5th.
