STRINGSCALES

A♭ lydian diminished Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: F, G, Ab, Bb, Cb, D, Eb at frets 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11

A string: Bb, Cb, D, Eb, F, G, Ab at frets 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11

D string: D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, Cb, D at frets 0, 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12

G string: G, Ab, Bb, Cb, D, Eb, F, G at frets 0, 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 12

B string: Cb, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, Cb at frets 0, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12

High E string: F, G, Ab, Bb, Cb, D, Eb at frets 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11

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Ab lydian diminished

The lydian diminished scale, the fourth mode of the harmonic major scale, crosses lydian's raised 4th with a minor 3rd. The result outlines a minor chord with a #11 and major 7th available, an ambiguous, film-noir color. It rewards slow playing that lets the b3 against #4 tension speak.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

A♭

i

A♭m
B♭

II

B♭maj
C♭

bIII+

C♭aug
D

#iv°

Ddim
E♭

V

E♭maj
F

vi°

Fdim
G

vii

Gm

Same notes, different mode

Ab lydian diminished uses the same notes as the scales below. Start from a different note and you get a new mode built on the very same note set.

Eb harmonic major

lydian diminished in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • Hold the minor 3rd (B) against the raised 4th (D): the film-noir rub at the heart of Ab lydian diminished.
  • Use it over a m(maj7) chord with a #11, or over diminished harmony that needs a lyrical top line.
  • As harmonic major's fourth mode it shares notes with the harmonic major a 4th below Ab; recycle those fingerings.
  • Play it slowly: this scale rewards sustained tones and voice-leading more than runs.

How to play A♭ lydian diminished on guitar

Open D, G and B all fall in this key, the B string sounding Cb as a minor third, so three strings stay usable as drones. Fret 1 on the G string is the closest root to the nut, which lets a first-position idea end on the tonic. Lowest root sits at fret 4. Capo 1 rewrites everything as G, and shapes move on at fret 8.

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