D♯ Mixolydian

Bluesy, dominant, rock — built from G♯ major

PARENT FAMILY · G♯ MAJ

All 7 modes share the same parent scale (G♯ major). D♯ Mixolydian is the V mode.

#	Mode	Diatonic chords	Mood
I	G♯ Ionian	G♯maj7 – A♯m7 – Cm7 – C♯maj7 – D♯7 – Fm7 – Gm7♭5	Happy, bright, resolved
II	A♯ Dorian	A♯m7 – Cm7 – C♯maj7 – D♯7 – Fm7 – Gm7♭5 – G♯maj7	Soulful, minor but with hope
III	C Phrygian	Cm7 – C♯maj7 – D♯7 – Fm7 – Gm7♭5 – G♯maj7 – A♯m7	Dark, tense, Spanish/flamenco
IV	C♯ Lydian	C♯maj7 – D♯7 – Fm7 – Gm7♭5 – G♯maj7 – A♯m7 – Cm7	Dreamy, floating, ethereal
V	D♯ Mixolydian	D♯7 – Fm7 – Gm7♭5 – G♯maj7 – A♯m7 – Cm7 – C♯maj7	Bluesy, dominant, rock
VI	F Aeolian	Fm7 – Gm7♭5 – A♭maj7 – B♭m7 – Cm7 – D♭maj7 – E♭7	Melancholic, natural minor
VII	G Locrian	Gm7♭5 – G♯maj7 – A♯m7 – Cm7 – C♯maj7 – D♯7 – Fm7	Unstable, tense, dissonant

SCALE · 7 NOTES · 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7

D♯ F G G♯ A♯ C C♯

Formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7

The Mixolydian scale on D♯ contains the notes D♯, F, G, G♯, A♯, C, C♯. The pentatonic subset is D♯, F, G, A♯, C.

Characteristic note: the ♭7 (flat seventh) gives it a bluesy, dominant feel.

DIATONIC 7ths · CHORD PAD

I

D♯7

II

Fm7

III

Gm7♭5

IV

G♯maj7

V

A♯m7

VI

Cm7

VII

C♯maj7

▸ Play D♯ Mixolydian over D♯7 and D♯7 progressions.

FRETBOARD · STANDARD TUNING · 15F● LIVE

CHARACTER · BLUESY, DOMINANT, ROCK

BLUESY, DOMINANT, ROCK

D♯ Mixolydian is a major mode with a bluesy, dominant, rock character. It is the V mode of G♯ major — it uses the same 7 notes as G♯ Ionian but is rooted on D♯, which shifts the harmonic focus and creates a completely different sound. The tonic chord is D♯7.

Where to use D♯ Mixolydian

Blues, rock, country, funk.

Famous examples

Norwegian Wood (Beatles)
Sweet Home Chicago
Gimme Shelter

What makes it distinctive: the ♭7 (flat seventh) gives it a bluesy, dominant feel.

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