Package leaflet · Information for the musician · Scale

D flat Mixolydian Mode

Major, bluesy and relaxed. The flat seventh takes the sweetness out of the major scale and gives it a rootsy, rock-and-roll swagger.

7 notes
6 ♭
mode

1Composition: what it contains

D♭ – E♭ – F – G♭ – A♭ – B♭ – C♭

Formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7
Steps: W – W – H – W – W – H – W
Number of notes: 7
Sharps and flats: 6 ♭
Also called: dominant scale, fifth mode of the major scale

Degree	Note	Interval	Semitones	Function
1	D♭	unison	0	tonic
2	E♭	major second	2	supertonic
3	F	major third	4	mediant
4	G♭	perfect fourth	5	subdominant
5	A♭	perfect fifth	7	dominant
6	B♭	major sixth	9	submediant
♭7	C♭	minor seventh	10	subtonic

2Appearance: diagrams and sound

Treble clef

Bass clef

Piano keyboard

Guitar (standard tuning E A D G B E)

Bass guitar (E A D G)

Ukulele (G C E A)

Tip: click any note, key or fret to hear it. Orange = root.

3Indications: what it is used for

The basic scale over dominant seventh chords: the V7 in a ii–V–I, every chord in a blues, and static dominant vamps in funk. Rock and folk use it for progressions like I–♭VII–IV, I–♭VII–I and the I–IV–♭VII–IV loop. Celtic fiddle tunes and bagpipe music are often Mixolydian. It is the fifth mode of the major scale, so it is the diatonic choice over the V chord of a major key, and a dominant ninth or dominant thirteenth chord fits it perfectly.

4Dosage: how to practise it

Ten minutes daily over a dominant seventh chord drone or a I–♭VII–IV loop at 80–110 BPM. Play two-octave runs in eighth notes, then target chord tones (1-3-5-♭7) on downbeats. Practise sequences in thirds and descending fours. On guitar, combine major pentatonic shapes with the fourth and flat seventh; on bass, outline the dominant arpeggio and fill with scale steps. On piano, play the dominant seventh in the left hand (shell voicing 1-3-♭7) and improvise in the right hand.

5Warnings and common mistakes

The fourth degree clashes with the major third of the dominant chord: pass through it, do not hold it. Do not use it over a major seventh chord, where the flat seventh fights the chord's major seventh. Beginners mix it up with the major scale and play the major seventh over dominant chords. For blues, combine it with the minor third as a passing note (blues scale colour) rather than replacing it. Over an altered dominant resolving to minor, choose phrygian dominant or the altered scale instead.

6Interactions with chords, scales and keys

Chords of the scale (triads)

Degree	Chord	Notes
I	D♭	D♭ – F – A♭
ii	E♭m	E♭ – G♭ – B♭
iii°	Fdim	F – A♭ – C♭
IV	G♭	G♭ – B♭ – D♭
v	A♭m	A♭ – C♭ – E♭
vi	B♭m	B♭ – D♭ – F
♭VII	C♭	C♭ – E♭ – G♭

Chords of the scale (seventh chords)

Degree	Chord	Notes
I7	D♭7	D♭ – F – A♭ – C♭
ii7	E♭m7	E♭ – G♭ – B♭ – D♭
iiiø7	Fm7♭5	F – A♭ – C♭ – E♭
IVmaj7	G♭maj7	G♭ – B♭ – D♭ – F
v7	A♭m7	A♭ – C♭ – E♭ – G♭
vi7	B♭m7	B♭ – D♭ – F – A♭
♭VIImaj7	C♭maj7	C♭ – E♭ – G♭ – B♭

Same notes, different starting point

7Other presentations available

The same scale from every note

Other scales from the same note

Read this leaflet carefully before playing. Keep it near your instrument. Free to use, print and share for personal and educational use.