C# Mixolydian Guitar Scale
Guitar scale in Drop D tuning — fretboard diagram
C# Mixolydian in Drop D — Notes and Intervals
The C# 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 C#, D#, F, F#, G#, A#, B. 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 C# Mixolydian are C#7, D#m7, Fm7b5, F#Maj7, G#m7, A#m7, BMaj7. 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: C#, D#, F, F#, G#, A#, B
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 D (D-A-D-G-B-E)
Also known as: dominant
Diatonic Chords
C♯7 — D♯m7 — Fm7♭5 — F♯Maj7 — G♯m7 — A♯m7 — BMaj7
About Drop D Tuning
Drop D tuning lowers the 6th string from E to D, giving you instant access to heavy power chords with a single finger. This deceptively simple change opens up a world of heavier riffs, deeper bass notes, and new chord voicings that are impossible in standard tuning. The low D string creates a powerful foundation for rhythm playing while keeping the rest of the fretboard familiar.
Drop D is one of the most versatile alternate tunings in modern music. From the crunchy riffs of grunge and alternative rock to the thunderous breakdowns of metal, this tuning has shaped the sound of countless iconic songs. It's also surprisingly useful for fingerpicking and acoustic arrangements where you need a deep bass drone.
Notable artists: Foo Fighters, Soundgarden, Rage Against the Machine, Tool, Killswitch Engage
Best for: Power chords, heavy riffs, drop-tuned metal rhythm, and acoustic arrangements with a deep bass drone
Musical Character
The b7 softens the major scale's resolution, creating a 'relaxed major' that never quite lands. This is the sound of rock and roll — major but with attitude.
Chord Progressions Using This Scale
- bVI – bVII – I (Mario Cadence)World / Game Music — Triumph & Victory
- I – I – I – I – IV – IV – I – I – V – IV – I – V (12 Bar Blues)Blues — Grit & Soul
- I – bVI – bIII – bVII (Epic Borrowed Chords)Contemporary / Film — Epic & Heroic
- I – ♭VII – IV (Classic Rock Loop)Pop / Rock — Energy & Drive
- I – VI7 – II7 – V (Ragtime Cycle)Jazz / Soul — Playful & Vintage
- ♭VII – IV – I (Gospel Walk-Up)Blues — Spiritual & Uplifting