D Mixolydian Bass Scale
Bass scale — fretboard diagram
D Mixolydian Scale — Notes and Intervals
The D Mixolydian scale is the fifth mode of the major scale and the heart of rock and roll and blues. On Bass, it contains the notes D, E, F#, G, A, B, C. It combines the stability of a major sound with a more relaxed, folk-like ending, perfectly suited for soloing over dominant seventh chords and providing a bluesy, soulful vibe to major-key songs. The diatonic chords of D Mixolydian are D7, Em7, F#m7b5, GMaj7, Am7, Bm7, CMaj7. Commonly used in Blues, Rock, Country, Folk, Funk. Notable players include Jimi Hendrix, The Allman Brothers, AC/DC, Stevie Ray Vaughan. Use over dominant 7th chords (7, 9, 13). The primary scale for blues-rock soloing over non-resolving dominant chords.
Notes: D, E, F#, G, A, B, C
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3M, 4P, 5P, 6M, 7m
Degrees: 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7
Formula: W-W-H-W-W-H-W
Number of notes: 7
Also known as: dominant
Diatonic Chords
D7 — Em7 — F♯m7♭5 — GMaj7 — Am7 — Bm7 — CMaj7
How to Play D Mixolydian on Bass
On bass, locate D on the A string at fret 5. Use a one-finger-per-fret approach starting from the root and span two to three strings. Keep your fretting hand relaxed and practice shifting between positions cleanly.
The D Mixolydian scale contains 1 sharp (F#). Its relative minor is B minor, which shares the same notes.
Practice Routine
Set a metronome to 80 BPM and play the D Mixolydian scale in groups of four notes, shifting the starting note each repetition. This builds muscle memory across the entire scale range. After a week, try improvising short 4-bar phrases using only these notes.
Try these progressions with the D Mixolydian scale: D7 - GMaj7 - Am7 - D7 (I-IV-V-I) or D7 - Em7 - GMaj7 - Am7 for a more stepwise movement.
Bass Tips
On bass, use the D Mixolydian scale to build walking bass lines by targeting chord tones on strong beats and using scale tones as approach notes. This is the foundation of functional bass playing.
The D Mixolydian scale contains 7 notes (D, E, F#, G, A, B, C). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Bass with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for D Mixolydian
The D Mixolydian scale can be played in 5 CAGED positions across the fretboard, each based on an open chord shape (C, A, G, E, D). As a 7-note scale, it also lends itself to 3-notes-per-string (3NPS) patterns that facilitate legato playing and diagonal shifting. Use the pattern selector above to isolate each position.