Chords in D Mixolydian
D Mixolydian is built from the notes D, E, F#, G, A, B and C. Its scale carries 1 sharp. Harmonising that scale in thirds gives seven chords — 3 majors, 3 minors and 1 diminished — starting on D as the I. The chord on the fifth degree is Am rather than a major V, so D Mixolydian has no leading tone and resolves by step and colour instead of by dominant pull — the sound that separates it from a plain D minor.
Beyond those seven, D Mixolydian commonly borrows Dm (i), Edim (iiø), F (bIII), Gm (iv) and Bb (bVI) from the parallel minor — the mixture chords that give a progression somewhere unexpected to go.
The seven chords
Extended to four notes each, the same seven degrees give D7, Em7, F#m7b5, Gmaj7, Am7, Bm7, Cmaj7.
Borrowed chords
Play D Mixolydian with no capo — its own shapes are already the easiest ones.
All eight capo positions for D Mixolydian →