F Mixolydian Guitar Scale — Drop B

F Mixolydian in Drop B — Notes and Intervals

The F 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 F, G, A, Bb, C, D, Eb. 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 F Mixolydian are F7, Gm7, Am7b5, BbMaj7, Cm7, Dm7, EbMaj7. 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: F, G, A, Bb, C, D, Eb

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

F7 — Gm7 — Am7♭5 — B♭Maj7 — Cm7 — Dm7 — E♭Maj7

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.

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

• F Mixolydian in Standard Tuning
• F Mixolydian in Drop D
• F Mixolydian in DADGAD
• F Mixolydian in Open G
• F Mixolydian in Baritone (B Standard)
• F Mixolydian in 7-string
• F Mixolydian in 8-string
• F Mixolydian in Drop C
• F Mixolydian in Open D
• F Mixolydian in Half Step Down
• F Mixolydian in Open E
• F Mixolydian in Open A
• F Mixolydian in Double Drop D
• F Mixolydian in Open C

← All Guitar scales in Drop B tuning