B Mixolydian Guitar Scale — Drop B

Guitar scale in Drop B tuning — fretboard diagram

B mixolydian scale — 6-string guitar fretboard diagramInteractive fretboard diagram showing the B mixolydian scale on 6-string guitar with 22 frets. Notes: C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A, B.C#D#EF#G#ABC#D#EF#G#ABG#ABC#D#EF#G#ABC#D#EF#EF#G#ABC#D#EF#G#ABC#BC#D#EF#G#ABC#D#EF#G#AF#G#ABC#D#EF#G#ABC#D#EBC#D#EF#G#ABC#D#EF#G#A1357911121315171921

B Mixolydian in Drop B — Notes and Intervals

The B Mixolydian scale is the fifth mode of the major scale and the heart of rock and roll and blues. On Guitar, it contains the notes B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A. 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 B Mixolydian are B7, C#m7, D#m7b5, EMaj7, F#m7, G#m7, AMaj7. 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: B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A

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

Tuning: Drop B (B-F#-B-E-G#-C#)

Also known as: dominant

Diatonic Chords

B7 — C♯m7 — D♯m7♭5 — EMaj7 — F♯m7 — G♯m7 — AMaj7

About Drop B Tuning

Drop B tuning (B-F#-B-E-G#-C#) takes the guitar into territory traditionally reserved for 7-string instruments, delivering a subsonic heaviness that you can feel in your chest. This tuning has become essential in modern extreme metal, deathcore, and djent, where low-end clarity and rhythmic precision are paramount.

Drop B represents the practical limit of what a standard 6-string guitar can handle before tone quality degrades. With the right string gauge (12-60 or heavier) and proper setup, it delivers the crushing lows of a 7-string while keeping the familiar 6-string layout. Bands like Architects, Periphery (on some tracks), and Parkway Drive have used Drop B to create some of the heaviest riffs in modern metal.

DeathcoreDjentProgressive MetalExtreme MetalMetalcore

Notable artists: Architects, Parkway Drive, Whitechapel, Born of Osiris, Emmure

Best for: Extreme metal riffs, deathcore breakdowns, djent chugs, and any style demanding the lowest possible 6-string tuning

Explore This Scale in Other Tunings

← All Guitar scales in Drop B tuning