G# Mixolydian Pentatonic Guitar Scale — Drop B
Guitar scale in Drop B tuning — fretboard diagram
G# Mixolydian Pentatonic in Drop B — Notes and Intervals
The G# Mixolydian Pentatonic scale is a dominant-flavored five-note scale that emphasizes the relaxed, bluesy side of the Mixolydian mode. On Guitar, the notes are G#, C, C#, D#, F#. It is an excellent choice for soloing over dominant chords when you want to maintain the simplicity and flow of a pentatonic structure. Commonly used in Blues, Rock, Country, Funk. Notable players include Jimi Hendrix, Dickey Betts, Derek Trucks. Use over dominant 7th chords (7, 9, 13). Simpler than full Mixolydian but captures the essential dominant color.
Notes: G#, C, C#, D#, F#
Intervals: 1P, 3M, 4P, 5P, 7m
Degrees: 1 2 3 4 b5
Formula: 4-H-W-WH-W
Number of notes: 5
Tuning: Drop B (B-F#-B-E-G#-C#)
Also known as: indian
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
- G# Mixolydian Pentatonic in Standard Tuning
- G# Mixolydian Pentatonic in Drop D
- G# Mixolydian Pentatonic in DADGAD
- G# Mixolydian Pentatonic in Open G
- G# Mixolydian Pentatonic in Baritone (B Standard)
- G# Mixolydian Pentatonic in 7-string
- G# Mixolydian Pentatonic in 8-string
- G# Mixolydian Pentatonic in Drop C
- G# Mixolydian Pentatonic in Open D
- G# Mixolydian Pentatonic in Half Step Down
- G# Mixolydian Pentatonic in Open E
- G# Mixolydian Pentatonic in Open A
- G# Mixolydian Pentatonic in Double Drop D
- G# Mixolydian Pentatonic in Open C