Db Mixolydian Scale on Piano

The Db Mixolydian scale sounds bright but unresolved. It runs Db – Eb – F – Gb – Ab – Bb – Cb and is written with six flats.

It shares its key signature with Bb minor, its relative minor.

Interval Circle

WWHWWHWCDb1DEb2EF3Gb4GAb5ABb6Cbb7

All twelve semitones, root at the top. Filled dots are the notes of the scale, the outer numbers are their degrees, and W / H mark the whole and half steps between them.

About This Scale

A major scale with a flattened 7th. Losing the leading tone removes the pull back to the tonic, so the scale can sit on a dominant chord indefinitely — the sound of blues-rock riffs and Celtic tunes.

Fingering

Right Hand (ascending)

2-3-1-2-3-4-1-2

Left Hand (ascending)

3-2-1-4-3-2-1-3

Why this fingering

5 black keys (Db, Eb, Gb, Ab, Bb) sit in this scale, and the thumb has to avoid them. In the right hand the thumb crosses under onto F and Cb; let the elbow drift slightly outward as it passes rather than twisting the wrist.

The blue dots on the piano below show which keys to press — they turn green when you play the right note.

Notes in Db Mixolydian

NoteIntervalRH FingerLH Finger
DbDb4Root (1)23
EbEb4Major 2nd (2)32
FF4Major 3rd (3)11
GbGb4Perfect 4th (4)24
AbAb4Perfect 5th (5)33
BbBb4Major 6th (6)42
CbCb5Minor 7th (b7)11
DbDb5Octave (8)23

Other Mixolydian Scales

C Mixolydian
C – D – E – F – G – A – Bb
D Mixolydian
D – E – F# – G – A – B – C
Eb Mixolydian
Eb – F – G – Ab – Bb – C – Db
E Mixolydian
E – F# – G# – A – B – C# – D
F Mixolydian
F – G – A – Bb – C – D – Eb
F# Mixolydian
F# – G# – A# – B – C# – D# – E
G Mixolydian
G – A – B – C – D – E – F
Ab Mixolydian
Ab – Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – Gb
A Mixolydian
A – B – C# – D – E – F# – G
Bb Mixolydian
Bb – C – D – Eb – F – G – Ab
B Mixolydian
B – C# – D# – E – F# – G# – A

Other Db Scales

Db Major
Db – Eb – F – Gb – Ab – Bb – C
Db Major Pentatonic
Db – Eb – F – Ab – Bb
Db Chromatic
Db – D – Eb – E – F – Gb – G – Ab – A – Bb – B – C