D Mixolydian B6 Guitar Scale
Guitar scale in 7-string tuning — fretboard diagram
D Mixolydian B6 in 7-string — Notes and Intervals
The D Mixolydian B6 scale is a melancholic dominant scale used when a song is in a major key but the dominant chord needs to resolve into a minor key. On Guitar, the notes are D, E, F#, G, A, Bb, C. It provides a bridge between the bright major and the sad minor worlds, perfect for emotional transitions. Commonly used in Jazz, Film Scores, Classical, Melodic Metal. Notable players include Hans Zimmer, Ennio Morricone. Use over dominant 7th chords that resolve to minor (V7 → im). The scale that bridges major happiness and minor sadness.
Notes: D, E, F#, G, A, Bb, C
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3M, 4P, 5P, 6m, 7m
Degrees: 1 2 3 4 5 b6 b7
Formula: W-W-H-W-H-W-W
Number of notes: 7
Tuning: 7-string (B-E-A-D-G-B-E)
Also known as: melodic minor fifth mode, hindu
About 7-string Tuning
The 7-string guitar adds a low B string below the standard 6-string tuning (B-E-A-D-G-B-E), extending the instrument's range into bass territory. This extra low end has become essential in progressive metal, djent, and modern heavy music, enabling crushing low-end riffs while maintaining access to standard guitar voicings on the upper strings.
Pioneered by jazz guitarist George Van Eps and later brought into the metal mainstream by Steve Vai and Korn, the 7-string guitar has become a staple of modern heavy music. Players like Tosin Abasi, Misha Mansoor, and John Petrucci have pushed the instrument's capabilities into new territory, using the extended range for complex harmonic progressions, polyrhythmic riffs, and sweeping arpeggios that span an enormous tonal range.
Notable artists: Dream Theater, Periphery, Animals as Leaders, Korn, Meshuggah
Best for: Progressive metal riffs, extended-range chord voicings, djent rhythms, and jazz fusion harmony
Musical Character
A 'sad dominant' — major 3rd says happy, b6 says sad, b7 says dominant. This emotional contradiction makes it perfect for scenes of bittersweet triumph or pyrrhic victory.