D Mixolydian mode on ukulele
The D Mixolydian mode has seven notes: D, E, F♯, G, A, B and C (1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7). A major scale with a flat 7th: the sound of rock, blues-rock and country over a dominant 7 chord. It fits riffs built on I, ♭VII and IV, like A, G and D.
| Note | D | E | F♯ | G | A | B | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | 1 (root) | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ♭7 |
| Step to the next | whole | whole | half | whole | whole | half | whole |
2 positions to learn it in
Each stretch here is a few frets you can play without moving the hand: the open position, then from the root on the lowest string. Press Play to hear each one, up and back down.
Chords that go with the D Mixolydian mode
The chords on each note of the scale that use only its notes. Play over any of them and every note fits; D (D) is where it sounds at home.
| On the | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| root (D) | Dhome | D7home |
| 2 (E) | Emrestless | Em7restless |
| 3 (F♯) | F♯dimthe edge | F♯m7♭5the edge |
| 4 (G) | Gthe door | Gmaj7the door |
| 5 (A) | Amsoft fall | Am7soft fall |
| 6 (B) | Bmthe shadow | Bm7the shadow |
| ♭7 (C) | Cheroic | Cmaj7heroic |
Scales with the same notes
It has the same notes as the G major scale, started from its fifth note, D.
Questions
What notes are in the D Mixolydian mode?
D, E, F♯, G, A, B and C. Its intervals from the root are 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7, and the steps between its notes are W W H W W H W (W a whole step, H a half step).
What chords go with the D Mixolydian mode?
The chords made only of its notes: D, Em, F♯dim, G, Am, Bm and C, and as seventh chords D7, Em7, F♯m7♭5, Gmaj7, Am7, Bm7 and Cmaj7. D is home: D is the chord it sounds most settled over.
The Mixolydian mode in every key
Other scales in D
D majorD minorD minor pentatonicD major pentatonicD bluesD DorianD LydianD PhrygianD harmonic minorD melodic minorD Phrygian dominant
Practise it on a sheet of your own in the practice sheet maker, with a metronome and a drone. Every scale: ukulele scales. This scale on guitar, bass, mandolin and banjo.