STRINGSCALES

A♭ lydian dominant Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: F, Gb, Ab, Bb, C, D, Eb at frets 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11

A string: Bb, C, D, Eb, F, Gb, Ab at frets 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11

D string: D, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, C, D at frets 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12

G string: Ab, Bb, C, D, Eb, F, Gb at frets 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11

B string: C, D, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb at frets 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11

High E string: F, Gb, Ab, Bb, C, D, Eb at frets 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11

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Ab lydian dominant

The lydian dominant scale, the fourth mode of the melodic minor scale, is also called the acoustic or overtone scale: a dominant 7th sound with a raised 4th. It is the sound of a 7#11 chord (the Simpsons theme opens with it) and the standard choice over non-resolving dominants like tritone substitutes. Brighter than mixolydian, bluesier than lydian.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

A♭

I

A♭maj
B♭

II

B♭maj
C

iii°

Cdim
D

#iv°

Ddim
E♭

v

E♭m
F

vi

Fm
G♭

bVII+

G♭aug

Characteristic notes: D (#4) and Gb (b7), the raised fourth combined with the flat seventh, the classic jazz fusion color.

Same notes, different mode

Ab lydian dominant 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.

Bb mixolydian b6C locrian #2D alteredEb melodic minorF dorian b2Gb lydian augmented

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

tip
  • Over a 7#11 or any non-resolving dominant on Ab, this is the default modern choice: mixolydian's bVII (Gb) with lydian's #IV (D).
  • Use it on tritone-substitute chords: when the bass plays a half step above the target, Ab lydian dominant supplies every right note.
  • Feature the #4 (D) against the chord's 5th in the same phrase; that rub is the scale's identity (think of the Simpsons theme opening).
  • It is the fourth mode of melodic minor: borrow your melodic minor fingering starting a 4th below Ab.

How to play A♭ lydian dominant on guitar

Open D is the one open string inside this key, and it lands on the raised fourth, so it is available at any moment without a finger down. Fret 1 on the G string holds a root. Clamp a capo at fret 1 to turn the fingerings into G lydian dominant, which means four flats stop getting in the way. Lowest root sits at fret 4, so the E-shape barre and the first box start together.

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