The D Mixolydian Scale, Open D Included
Start with the open D string and you already have the root of the D Mixolydian scale: D, E, F#, G, A, B and C. Only the C natural separates it from D major, and that single note supplies the dominant sound.
In the box shapes the tonic shows up on the 10th fret of the low E string and the 5th fret of the A string. These are the notes of G major, so a G chord and a D7 groove share one fingering. Try the ideas in practising scales in context over a D7 vamp.
Play the D mixolydian scale
Use the step menu in the player to switch between the single-string run and the box shapes.
Notes of the D mixolydian scale
| Note | Degree | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| D | 1 | Root | 0 |
| E | 2 | Major 2nd | 2 |
| F# | 3 | Major 3rd | 4 |
| G | 4 | Perfect 4th | 5 |
| A | 5 | Perfect 5th | 7 |
| B | 6 | Major 6th | 9 |
| C | b7 | Minor 7th | 10 |
Structure
D mixolydian scale notes:
How the mixolydian scale is built:
The mixolydian scale is built from the degrees 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7, which gives the step pattern W-W-H-W-W-H-W (W = whole step, H = half step).
Counting in semitones from the root: 0, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10. That makes it a 7-note scale.
It is mode 5 of the Major Scale, so both scales share the same notes from a different starting point.
It is also known as Dominant Scale.
D Mixolydian Scale Guitar Patterns
Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.
On one string (D)
Box pattern — position 1
Box pattern — position 2
Box pattern — position 3
Box pattern — position 4
Box pattern — position 5
3 notes per string — position 1
3 notes per string — position 2
3 notes per string — position 3
3 notes per string — position 4
3 notes per string — position 5
Chords in the D mixolydian scale
Stacking thirds on each degree of the scale gives these chords.
Related modes
These scales share the same notes as the mixolydian scale, starting from a different degree.
The mixolydian scale in other keys
Created by
Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher
