Map it slowly
Find D on string 5 at fret 5. Play string 5, fret 5; string 5, fret 7; string 5, fret 9; string 4, fret 5; string 4, fret 7. Use a relaxed position and release pressure between repetitions. String 1 is high E.
Mixolydian · D · Guitar
D Mixolydian scale on guitar
The D Mixolydian scale is D E F♯ G A B C — formula 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7, step pattern W–W–H–W–W–H–W. Use it over D7: it is the scale for unaltered dominant-seventh chords — the V7 in a major ii–V–I, and blues dominants. Below, every note is marked on the fretboard in standard tuning; press play to hear it on a synthesized guitar while each note lights up, or tap any fret to sound that note.
Visualizer
D Mixolydian on the fretboard.
Guitar · standard tuning
Piano
RootChord tone (1 3 5 7)Scale toneBeing played
Tempo100 bpm
Show
Sound
Tap any note on the diagram to hear it. Play loops the scale up and down one octave in eighth notes (switch Loop off for a single pass) in the position starting at fret 5. “Show” switches or combines the fretboard and keyboard; “Sound” picks the instrument you hear. Audio is synthesized in the browser.
Your next 10 minutes
Make D Mixolydian part of your playing
Make a short phrase
Play D – E – F♯ as two eighth notes and a quarter note, then rest for two beats. Answer with C – B – A. Use the space to hear the phrase before repeating it.
Hear it in context
Hold or repeat D as a drone. Play each note of D Mixolydian above it, pausing on E and C. Compare their tension with the root. Then improvise using only three notes and two rhythms.
Listen for this: unaltered dominant-seventh chords — the V7 in a major ii–V–I, and blues dominants. Treat the scale as a palette, not a requirement to play every note. If a note clashes with a chord or melody, resolve it deliberately or leave it out.
Understand the sound
D Mixolydian: from a pattern to a musical choice
Hear C in context
The flat seventh distinguishes this sound from major. Pair it with the major third to hear the dominant chord inside the scale.
In D Mixolydian, degree ♭7 is C. Play D, then C, then D again. Sing the middle note before touching the instrument.
A mistake to avoid
On a resolving V chord, aim for a note of the next chord rather than ending every line on the dominant root.
Slow the player to 60 bpm. Record one short phrase and check whether its ending sounds deliberate. Increase the tempo only when you can repeat it without losing the pulse.
D Mixolydian versus D Major
Shared pitches: D, E, F♯, G, A, B. Pitches in D Mixolydian outside the comparison scale: C. Compare the sounds over the same root, at the same tempo.
Play D Major on guitar →Your guitar checkpoint
Start with D on string 5, fret 5. The next note E is on string 5, fret 7. Name both notes aloud before playing, then find the same two pitches in another octave.
Before moving on, close the diagram and name the notes: D · E · F♯ · G · A · B · C. Then play a two-bar phrase from memory and leave two bars of silence.
On piano
The same scale on the keyboard.
Reference
D Mixolydian — notes, degrees & intervals.
| Degree | Note | Interval from D | Step to next |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D | unison (0 semitones) | W |
| 2 | E | major 2nd (2 semitones) | W |
| 3 | F♯ | major 3rd (4 semitones) | H |
| 4 | G | perfect 4th (5 semitones) | W |
| 5 | A | perfect 5th (7 semitones) | W |
| 6 | B | major 6th (9 semitones) | H |
| ♭7 | C | minor 7th (10 semitones) | W |
Chord it implies: D7 (D – F♯ – A – C). Use it for: unaltered dominant-seventh chords — the V7 in a major ii–V–I, and blues dominants.
Take it to the bandstand.Practice Radio streams endless changes to play D Mixolydian over through all twelve keys, with the chord and scale shown live — plus ear-training and call & response modes.
▶ Open Practice RadioCommon questions
D Mixolydian FAQ.
What are the notes of the D Mixolydian scale?
D E F♯ G A B C. As scale degrees: 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7. It has 7 notes.
What chords does D Mixolydian work over?
D Mixolydian fits D7 and, more generally, unaltered dominant-seventh chords — the V7 in a major ii–V–I, and blues dominants.
What is the formula of the Mixolydian scale?
1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7 — the step pattern from the root is W W H W W H W (W = whole step, H = half step).
How do I play D Mixolydian on guitar?
Start on the root D on the A string at fret 5, and play the one-octave position shown: A-string fret 5, A-string fret 7, A-string fret 9, D-string fret 5, D-string fret 7, D-string fret 9, G-string fret 5, G-string fret 7. Every D on the neck is a root, so the same shape works in every position where the notes are marked.
Keep going
Mixolydian in every other key.
Same scale on piano · all Mixolydian pages: Mixolydian hub · practise it in context: ii–V–I trainer · theory: chord-scale theory.
Other scales from D